Is Suffering Optional?

Have you ever read a passage that makes you just shiver? That makes you question, “am I really trying to follow Jesus completely, or is this something that I say I am, and that I only partly do?” Jesus has recently grabbed hold of my hand, and walked me through a brutal revelation that I find hard to swallow, and to be honest, that I don’t like. These revelations have haunted me throughout my campus as I pass one after another, after another of athletes, women, males, coaches, and professors, which need to have an encounter with Jesus. My heartaches, but my soul tugs in the other direction as I walk by them afraid to share a bit of information that is more important than anything that we are taught. Yet I don’t do it consistently, being both selective and prejudice of whom I talk to. I feel the tension of Jesus saying, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” While walking in this tension I have realized why I do not act on my faith consistently. It’s because I shriek, and step back from the bitter cup of suffering.

I would like to believe that I am a Romans 1:16 (For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes) kind of man. And in many cases I can be. Unfortunately, I’m not always that guy, and what I have quickly come to find out and struggle to accept, is that following Jesus produces suffering. Paul says “I will suffer for the sake of understanding Jesus,” and I have to question do we? As a people who claim to follow Jesus do we drink from that cup? We pray and state we are completely sold out to bringing the kingdom to our schools, work place, family and friends. If that is so, then we have to be married to the principle of suffering.

What does it mean to Suffer?
I want to be clear for multiple reasons. I feel as though if I didn’t clarify, some would write to me saying that there are different types of suffering and I believe that to be true. For example, what the Chinese go through if caught, we cannot match or say we will ever go through that form of persecution. But on the other hand for one to say, “The reason why we are not being persecuted is because we live in America,” I believe to be a weak statement in which I would argue if you are not being persecuted then it’s because you are purposefully avoiding persecution (just like I have). When I say suffering, I mean things like verbal abuse, your family cutting you off because you chose Jesus above all, losing friends, professors, bosses, and others calling you out and challenging what you believe. This is where I too am challenged.

The dictionary states that suffering is to undergo or feel pain or distress. I've come to the realization that I want to embrace my sufferings as the apostles did in Acts 5:40-41 (They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.)

This scripture raises a deep question: Does the world love you? Are you cool with everybody to the point that no one knows that you’re a Christian? If you were arrested for being Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Can you answer these honestly? I personally had to say no even though I've lead people to Jesus. I am not consistent and need to continue to pick up my cross and follow Him. While I continue to learn this, I feel the weight of the cross on my back becoming heavier as I walk up the mountain of missed opportunities.

Paul goes on to say in John 15:18-20, (“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: A servant is not greater than his master, if they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.)

This scripture brings me to my last point. Jeremy Stephens always asks the question, “How many people have you pissed off lately?” I mean how many times have you brought Jesus up in a class, or with friends, teammates, co-workers, or family, where Jesus wasn’t the cool thing to talk about? After all Jesus was pretty good at pissing off the religious folks and others who weren't interested. So, whose feathers have you ruffled lately for His namesake? Or have you thought, “I would rather not deal with any form of persecution today.” We should consistently ask ourselves these questions understanding that Jesus was neither loved, nor liked by everyone. His main goal was to point to the Father and in doing so He was hated.

The disciples had plenty of chances to avoid persecution and suffering. Do you know Acts 4:19? When Peter and John were threatened to stop preaching in the name of Jesus? Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: To listen to you, or to Him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” What about Paul, he probably would have lived longer had he not gone to the dangerous places he did! Maybe he should have lived in a gated community in the suburbs, and done a little fellowship potluck every Sunday.

This has been a challenging piece to write. I feel like there is so much to say and yet I have so much to learn. I dislike suffering and persecution and I’m never going to be comfortable with it, but it comes with the territory and I’ve already seen what Jesus can do. I challenge you to take a step back and observe yourself. What was the last excuse you used when you passed that person you know you should have spoken to? How did you feel? Did you have a strong conviction? Hopefully Jesus will provide a fresh revelation to you as I recently received.

After all there are a lot of things that Jesus states that really makes me take a step back and shake my head no thank you. But is not suffering part of the message of Christianity? Are you willing to suffer, be excluded, and be looked at as the Jesus freak? I believe Jesus is walking me there. And what I’m seeing in the distance is a cross with my name on it, which is a place where i must learn to die to myself and my selfishness.

As Philippians 3:8 says, “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage that I may gain Christ.”

Russell Gaither