The Cost of Following ChristExemplo

A Hope That Can’t Be Taken Away

I look around the world or, even, around my own church, and I see followers of Jesus doing it much tougher than me. Some fit the mould of what Peter describes as ‘suffer[ing] for what is right.’ I admire the faith and tenacity of those who not only persevere in the face of real persecution, but continue to consider themselves blessed.

When someone is in a terrible situation, and they still count their blessings, it can sound as if they’re avoiding painful reality. But this 1 Peter passage points to why believers feel blessed even while they count the cost of following Christ. Such people know the reason for the hope they have – the reason spelled out in the final sentence.

Jesus Christ suffered for sin to bring the faithful into a right relationship with God. Such a powerful truth of righteous reality can sustain someone through suffering. While that reason for hope in Christ might not make suffering go away, suffering cannot take away that hope.

Written by BEN MCEACHEN

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