Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Suffering is a blessing from God!
You may not feel very blessed when you endure difficulties in your life. You may feel very unblessed! But if you trust God through those times, that He has a good purpose, and you continue to glorify Him in your life, then those hard times are producing a great reward in heaven for you and they are making you more like Jesus Christ right now.
Suffering gives you the opportunity to grow spiritually in amazing ways.
Howard Hendricks once said, “Perhaps the Spirit of God is saying to many of us today, ‘I want to minister through you. But before I can ever minister through you, I must minister to you.’ Don’t despise the educational experience of your drying brook. Don’t throw in the towel…let patience have her perfect work, that you may be mature and complete. He wants to make you just like His Son.” What is the Spirit of God saying to you today?
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