Tag Archives: persecution

Faith and Suffering

Praying for those who suffer for their faith

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While reading John 16 this morning I was struck by these words of Jesus in light of the increasing frequency of persecution of believers in recent years (especially in the Islamic world where the persecutors frequently claim to be acting in the name of Allah). Although the original context was the persecution of the first generation of believers by the Jewish leaders, when I think of the butchery of Christ followers at the hands of Islamists during the current civil war in Syria, or the massacres in Nigeria at the hands of Boko Haram, or the persecution of the growing underground Iranian church at the hands of the authorities, these words of Jesus are as pertinent as if they had been spoken yesterday.

Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. John 16:2-4

I can’t really imagine what it would be like to suffer or die for my faith. Compared to this, the opposition I have experienced as a Christian in Canada seems so small, although it is becoming more common and more frequent. But I know we are called to pray for our brothers and sisters, and this morning I am praying that those who suffer for their faith will know that their sufferings are not an accident or a mistake, that in a real sense they are sharing in the sufferings of Christ, that Jesus has gone before them, is with them in the fiery furnace and that they have a reward waiting for them as they remain faithful. I am praying that they will have an intimate knowledge of how much Jesus loves them and of His presence with them in the fire. And I am praying that I will be faithful – and fully alive to God – in whatever circumstances He calls me to walk through. I am also praying that I, and my brothers and sisters who are suffering things I can only imagine, will be able to walk in love towards those who oppose us.

I am so glad that the same Lord who promised suffering and persecution also had these words of encouragement for His friends.

Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. John 16:20-22

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Reflections on Life, Seasonal Thoughts

In everything give thanks

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Here in Canada this is Thanksgiving weekend.  Early settlers and explorers gave thanks for a safe journey across the Atlantic; later settlers gave thanks for a good harvest; Loyalists coming to Canada from the United States after the American Revolution brought their customs with them.  What many Canadians don’t realize is that our current Thanksgiving celebration is mandated by Canada’s Parliament which in 1957 proclaimed “A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed  … to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October.”

Although the celebration has Christian roots, at this time of year even pagans and those who profess no faith recognize the value of gratitude.  But what are we thankful for?  How deep does our Thanksgiving go?  In spite of the current economic turmoil, all Canadians – pagan, agnostic, atheist and believer – can agree that we in Canada have been richly blessed with prosperity, abundant food, peace, safety, freedom, and stable government.  As a believer in Jesus Christ, I freely and gladly confess that these blessings come to us from the hand of a good God.  But as a believer in Jesus, I also need to take my Thanksgiving celebration a little bit deeper.

What if I lived in the Philippines today, in the wake of the two recent typhoons?  What if I were a Vietnamese believer, knowing that my pastor was suffering in prison at the hands of the Communist regime?  What if I were a Christ-follower in one of the many African nations where AIDS is rampant, or in Orissa State in India, where Christians are currently undergoing severe persecution at the hands of Hindu radicals?  Could I still give thanks?

Recently I was struck by the words of the Apostle Paul when writing to his infant congregation in Thessalonica.  These were people who had come to faith in Christ only a few years previously, and had undergone many trials since.   From the time they had first heard the message of Christ, they had faced severe opposition.   Paul himself had only stayed in the community for a few weeks after first preaching the gospel, soon moving on to other parts, but he sent Timothy to find out how they were doing.  Later he wrote a letter to encourage and instruct the young church.  Listen to his words in 1 Thessalonians 3:1-4 :

We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow-worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no-one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them.  In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.

He didn’t lament over the fact that they were suffering persecution, he told them it was part of their destiny.  He didn’t tell them he felt sorry for them, he told them this was what they should have expected.  He didn’t pray for the persecution to end, he prayed for them to stand firm.  He said this because he knew that for those who stood the test, beyond the pain lay a glorious, eternal destiny in a renewed creation where Jesus would reign openly as Lord.  And so later on in the same letter, he spoke these memorable words – which are far more powerful when we realize they were spoken to a suffering church undergoing persecution :  Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

We in the comfortable Western church complain so easily.  We are so easily discontent.  We so easily think we have it hard.  We need to examine ourselves to see if we are really in the faith.  There is nothing wrong with enjoying material blessings, peace and freedom, but when we think that these are the most important reasons for thanksgiving, we show that we do not really understand the good news.  Our preoccupation with physical comfort has blinded our eyes to our own poverty and our desperate need for the mercy and power of God.   We need to ask the Spirit of God to open our eyes so that we can see again how blessed we are, and change our hearts so that true gratitude overflows into willing service, using whatever gifts God has entrusted to us to advance His Kingdom.  Lord, have mercy upon us.

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