Devotional: Rejoicing in Suffering Acts 5:41-42

There is much debate nowadays about the pros and cons of suffering. When I was a child it was considered beneficial for a child to experience the pain and suffering of a whipping. It was common practice for school teachers to discipline students with the paddle. Today, many people believe that discipline by physical means should be avoided because it causes more harm than good, especially in the long term. We live in a society today in which we do our best to avoid pain and suffering. The questions might be: Should we avoid suffering altogether? Should we do more to help people to understand suffering and how to live with suffering?

In Acts 9 we read about Saul (later Paul). When Saul is converted on the road to Damascus God sends a man named Ananias to minister to him (9:10). Ananias has questions about Saul because Saul is known to be a persecutor of people who proclaim their faith in Jesus (v.14). “But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before Gentiles and kings and sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake’” (vv. 15-16). So, here it is. Jesus says that those who proclaim His name are subject to suffering. If I have not had to suffer because of my faith in Jesus maybe, just maybe, I have failed to openly take a stand for the name Jesus in the face of opposition. Maybe I am silent when Jesus’ name comes up in conversations. Maybe I’m willing to concede that Jesus is not who Jesus says that He is. Am I guilty of avoiding suffering for the name of Jesus?

Earlier, in the Book of Acts Peter and John are preaching and teaching the people about Jesus. He is the One who died for our sins. As we read chapters four and five we learn that Peter and John are put in jail. They are threatened and flogged and ordered not to speak in the name of Jesus. When Peter and John are released “they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name (5:41). Peter and John do not try to avoid suffering. Instead they continue to do the same thing that got them into trouble in the first place. “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (v. 42, NASB).

Prayer: Lord Jesus we thank you for the opportunity to proclaim Your name even if we must suffer. Amen.