“Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;” – 2 Corinthians 11:24-25
If all these things happened to us, we might be tempted to complain. But Paul isn’t complaining! He’s content to serve Lord Jesus even when that service is painful. Paul understands what Jesus did for him, redeeming him from his sins through His own sacrificial death on a cross. Paul understands the mission Jesus gave him, to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Paul understands the resources Jesus has given him to accomplish that mission – the Holy Spirit living in Him and the permanent presence of Jesus with Him. For these reasons, Paul could endure hardship and suffering in peace, delighting in His Lord Jesus Who strengthened and sustained him.
If Jesus is your Lord, then He’s done the exact same thing for you that He did for Paul, redeeming you from your sins. He’s given you the exact same mission to make disciples of all nations. And He’s given you the exact same resources to accomplish that mission. So, are you following the example of Paul? Are you delighting in the Lord Jesus and letting Him strengthen and sustain you? Are you enduring hardship for the sake of sharing the hope of Jesus with others? Are you content to experience rejection, opposition, or hostility in order to tell people about your Lord?
If not, why not? What do you lack that Paul had? What do you have that Paul lacked? #FollowJesus