Suffering for Doing Good
1 Peter 3
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| I pray blessings on you as you read. |
(v. 9) "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." (v. 17) "It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than or doing evil."
My Thoughts
If you're going to suffer or doing good things, or the good that you do gets thrown back in your face, then what's the point? Why not just go along with the crowd and not care about trying to good things or trying to be nice to people or help them? There is a very important reason why you don't want to do that. That reason has to do with the kind of suffering you will have to endure.
When we sin; when we do any kind of evil act, not only do we usually end up answering for it here on Earth, but later on, after we die, we will have to answer to God. To suffer at the hands of men is nothing like the kind of suffering you would endure at the hands of God. God has the power to create life, to take life and to restore it, all in an instant. He is the One we should fear more than any other.
What can you possibly endure at the hands of men? Embarrassment, rejection, insult, injury, betrayal. Worse, torture and even death. Why is this a better consequence? These things only affect us as we are alive in this world. Death, obviously, cannot be recovered from, though afterward, when we die, we can spend eternity with God in heaven. If we value a good life over a God life, we will likely spend eternity apart from God. That is not at all what we want.
Even though people may hurt you in someway, always try to be the bigger person. Do not retaliate to them, do not grow spiteful and do not seek vengeance. God does not promise a good life or an easy life, but He promises eternal life. We need only accept His Son Jesus and follow in His ways. Any kind of suffering we face in life should be for Him, just as His suffering on the cross was for us.
No matter what evil you face in life, if you are following God and you are faithful to Him, your suffering is not in vain. You don't have to let people walk all over you; stand up for yourself always, but be respectful and do so with the love of God. By you standing up for yourself in this way, people will see that you are strong, and also that you are respectful and they may just see Jesus in you. Defend yourself for sure, but do not fight back; do not do what they do. Let your words and your actions in those situations show who you are in Christ.
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When we sin; when we do any kind of evil act, not only do we usually end up answering for it here on Earth, but later on, after we die, we will have to answer to God. To suffer at the hands of men is nothing like the kind of suffering you would endure at the hands of God. God has the power to create life, to take life and to restore it, all in an instant. He is the One we should fear more than any other.
What can you possibly endure at the hands of men? Embarrassment, rejection, insult, injury, betrayal. Worse, torture and even death. Why is this a better consequence? These things only affect us as we are alive in this world. Death, obviously, cannot be recovered from, though afterward, when we die, we can spend eternity with God in heaven. If we value a good life over a God life, we will likely spend eternity apart from God. That is not at all what we want.
Even though people may hurt you in someway, always try to be the bigger person. Do not retaliate to them, do not grow spiteful and do not seek vengeance. God does not promise a good life or an easy life, but He promises eternal life. We need only accept His Son Jesus and follow in His ways. Any kind of suffering we face in life should be for Him, just as His suffering on the cross was for us.
No matter what evil you face in life, if you are following God and you are faithful to Him, your suffering is not in vain. You don't have to let people walk all over you; stand up for yourself always, but be respectful and do so with the love of God. By you standing up for yourself in this way, people will see that you are strong, and also that you are respectful and they may just see Jesus in you. Defend yourself for sure, but do not fight back; do not do what they do. Let your words and your actions in those situations show who you are in Christ.
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Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.
Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!
Very good advice!!
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