Persecuted

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:10

Not all that long ago I was listening to a pastor teaching via podcast  
(makes the work day go by nicely) and he said something that got an eyebrow furl out of me.  Like most truth, we bristle at it initially.   
I do anyway.  Here's what was said:  "If you follow Christ, you will  
be persecuted.  If you aren't being persecuted, you aren't being  
obedient and you may not know Him."

Do you like that?  I don't.  But its true.  I'll show you... verbatim,  
actually...

"In fact, everyone who wants to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will  
be persecuted,"
2 Timothy 3:12

I don't like this.  Neither do you if you're honest.  I like comfort.  
I like it when things are easy and smooth.  I like it when you like  
me.  So this is what we're left with.  It’s very natural and human to  
wish for a path of least resistance.  As a Christ follower though, a  
Christian, at its most simple meaning, we're to be like Christ.  Jesus  
Christ was persecuted.  Which means the ease and comfort we all  
worship is contrary to the persecution we will assuredly face when  
we're walking in step with the Spirit.

But doesn't God want me to be happy?  No, He doesn't.  Not the way we long for happiness and fulfillment.  God longs for us to worship and  
glorify Him.  That brings true joy, not the temporary things we grasp for and are frustrated over when we don't get.  God loves us enough to fill us with something more significant than our convoluted ideas of  
what it means to be filled and happy.

Look at the beatitudes in this text; mourners have something to  
cry over, the hungry and thirsty have cravings and needs yet to be  
met, the merciful aren't always validated, and peacemakers sometimes get shot at.  Too often we long to assert our rights; too easily we  
forget what Jesus set aside to be our sacrifice (see Philipians 2).
The beatitudes are all about the promise of blessing and inheritance  
in the kingdom, but take a simple quick read of them and we immediately notice the economy of the kingdom of heaven is polar opposite to the economy of this fallen world.

We will be persecuted.  The forces of this world will war against  
those who follow Jesus.  Our flesh and sinful desires, still imbedded  
inside us, will tug and pull.  We will struggle and fight on our  
darkest days and be persecuted.  Standing up for the widow, the  
orphan, loving those who we don't want to love, and doing the other things Jesus commands such as going an extra mile, turning the other cheek and praying for those who persecute us - those things will spur conflict, make no mistake.

The tough questions have to be asked in prayer today.  Do I avoid  
persecution in favor of my own comfort?  Have I experienced any  
conflict lately (with other people, with my own flesh, with spiritual  
forces at work) and if not am I being obedient to Jesus?  What is God teaching me in the persecution and struggle I'm experiencing today?

Remember what the beatitude says - theirs is the kingdom.  All things work together for good.  Even though we think we know what will bring us comfort and happiness as Christ followers, we trust His words more than our own intuition.
  
-Doug