Dealing with Unjust Suffering

Dealing with Unjust Suffering For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. I Peter 2 v 19 The Lord God commends us when we endure patiently the pain of unjust suffering. There is no merit in enduring suffering for doing something negative which we deserve but when we bear with suffering for doing the right thing, the Lord is pleased with our patience. He accepts it as a sweet smelling sacrifice. When we do so, He commends us a faithful servant. The Lord does not watch passively while we suffer for a righteous act or cause. He acts on our behalf even as we are to hold our tongue and restrain ourselves. He never allows us to be tested beyond our capacity to endure. He helps us as an Ebenezer God when we are persecuted wrongly. He vindicates our stand. People will hate us without cause even as they hated Jesus but the Lord will not let us be ashamed. But when they do, we are to consider ourselves doubly blessed to suffer as Christ did for us. Often the Lord allows circumstances and situations that cause our heart to contract. The purpose is to test our faith, to enhance our spiritual strength and stamina. The purpose is also to reveal or manifest the glory, grace and power of God both to us and to those who oppose us without reason. When I sought the presence and guidance of the Lord yesterday even as I was perplexed that some of my work of nearly two decades and my initiative was being targeted unjustly out of a Jezebel spirit of jealousy, causing me anxiety, the Lord revealed this uni-verse. He made an allusion to Samson. Samson was proud of his great strength and attributed it to his locks of hair. But his strength was actually from the Lord. He therefore suffered humiliation and even his eyes were gouged out. But we are called to be spiritual Samsons who attribute our strength and power to the unlimited grace of our Lord and our God. When we submit to unmerited chastisement or undeserved troubles with an attitude of faith, patience and meekness, the Lord will rise as a mighty Lion of Judah. Prateep V Philip