The Bible says,
“Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior”
(Habakkuk 3:17-18).
Do you want to be a victim or a victor? Do you want to be comfortable or a conqueror? Do you want to see “impossible” dreams come true, to the glory of God? Jesus is coming back as the King of kings. If you want to be a king, you’re going to have to be willing to commit yourself to sacrifice and suffering. Kings process pain and pleasure differently than other people.
The Bible says Jesus “learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8).
Scripture adds, “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10).
The apostle Paul said, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory, beyond all comprehension” (2 Corinthians 4:17). In his cell in chains, he looked at his own death sentence and suffering for Christ and said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). .
When you’re lied about and betrayed, and you forgive and remain silent rather than attempt to destroy the person who is slandering you, you still love them and suffer for Christ’s sake. The price of admission to change the world is unspeakable evil and betrayal, and when it comes, you cannot play the victim.
Are the things you’re living for worth Christ dying for? Are you willing to live your life in the light of eternity? The apostle Paul said that he wanted to know Christ and the fellowship of His suffering. If you truly want to change the world, then celebrate suffering and sacrifice. Seek the Jesus who shows up in the flames of fire.
It is in the quiet crucible of your personal suffering that your noblest dreams are born. God’s greatest gifts are given in compensation for what you’ve been through. You’re going to be betrayed. You’re going to be rejected by those you’ve loved the most if you choose the narrow path. How much rejection and pain and disappointment can you tolerate before you turn your back on the Savior? Beginning strong is not a sign of a surrendered life. Finishing strong is.
When things are going well, we see Christ as a conquering Savior. But when things go badly, do you still see Him that way? To be an overcomer, you must have something to overcome. If you don’t have an opponent, you don’t have a victory. Most who celebrate with you on the mountain will not be with you in the fire. Everyone wants a theology that celebrates those who get fire protection. How about a theology that celebrates those who choose to suffer in the fire and embraces a God who walks through the fire with us?
In one week, the crowds went from celebrating the Savior with their Hosannas to despising and rejecting Him. As the prophet Isaiah said, they hid their faces from Him. Jesus never hid suffering from His followers. He told them that if you follow Me, you’re going to have to take up My cross. The cross was a curse word. It was a symbol of shame. The Jesus I have found is more powerful in your suffering than in your celebrations. Sometimes He stills the storms, but most of the time He stills us in the midst of the storms. His word to you and me and this generation is the same: Take up My cross and follow Me.
Revelations born from suffering for Christ are the engines of God that fuel His eternal purposes on earth. It will cause you to see what He sees, hear what He hears, and do what He does. The Christian life is not about winning and being number one. It’s about Jesus being number one. If I must protect my name at all costs, my reputation at all costs, my career at all costs, my income at all costs, and my influence at all costs, it will lead to a self-inspired narrative (S.I.N.).
The Christian life is about surrendering all of our life for His glory and His story. That’s what I have learned about God’s dreams, and how they come to pass. Sacrifice and suffering can fuel your dreams if you let them.
