Persecuted

Mat 5:2  And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

 

Mat 5:10  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

Persecuted.

 

'Strong's: A prolonged (and causative) form of a primary verb δίω diō(to flee; compare the base of G1169 and G1249); to pursue (literally or figuratively); by implication to persecute: - ensue follow (after) given to (suffer) persecute (-ion) press toward. '

 

As you are being persecuted you do not usually consider yourself blessed.

 

Over and over again we are being told that in this world we will SUFFER.

 

Why don't we accept this? Why do we fight our suffering? Why do we lament our entire lives because they aren't the idolized existence we truly desire? We have been taught that to be lucky- to be blessed- means having a good life. We say a person has been blessed when their lives are on an even keel, when they've accumulated contentment. How often have you ever said, or heard said by anyone else, that a person suffering is blessed?

 

It's practically unthinkable for us to tell anyone who is suffering that they are blessed. 

 

On the social network- Facebook- people are constantly updating their status to reflect things that are upsetting them, sickness, family members troubles. You'll see most responses along the lines of people praying for those having a hard time, thinking about them, caring for them, wanting to help. I've NEVER seen anyone say another is blessed in their troubles.

 

Yet we read right here - blessed are they which are persecuted, and we've already read blessed are those who mourn, another thing you'd never consider telling someone- they are blessed in their mourning.

 

Blessed in suffering, we just shake our heads in  disbelief because it is so contrary to how we view things.

 

The truth is we are blessed when ANYTHING good or bad happens to us that contributes to our growing ever closer to God.

 

If you are being persecuted for righteousness' sake then you are being persecuted for doing what Christ would have you do.  We really need to understand that we WILL suffer for right doing.  You might suffer for wrong doing- we are taught that as children aren't we? You do something bad and you'll reap the consequences of your actions. Bad guys commit bad acts and go to jail. Bad guys suffer- this is how it's supposed to be. You aren't supposed to be good and suffer for that goodness and yet we are told that we are BLESSED if we are persecuted for righteousness' sake.  We are told that when we do what is right we will suffer for it. We are being TAUGHT this lesson by our SAVIOR!  How important it must be that we learn it.

 

You will suffer.

God hasn't abandoned you because you suffer.

God hasn't marked you as evil because you are suffering.

You are not having a run of bad luck because you are suffering.

 

IF you are choosing to be GOD'S, if you are choosing righteousness, you are choosing to have suffering in your life.

 

We really shouldn't be surprised either. Our Savior suffered. God did not make everything wonderful for our Savior. Christ did not live in a life of luxury. Christ was not given a life of ease. So WHY do we think we deserve luxury and ease?

 

Will we ever get over the shock of -

 

Mat 5:10  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

BLESSED are they which are persecuted for RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE.

 

Theirs - those who are blessed in their persecution for righteousness' sake will have the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 

 

Life with our SAVIOR.

 

The rewards of living THROUGH this awful existence of pain and suffering in all its many, many forms is the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

 

The kingdom.

 

We live now in such horror that we can't even fully imagine anything different. We can HOPE for different, but not in this WORLD. Our HOPE must be in the KINDGOM of HEAVEN- JESUS CHRIST!

 

All in HIS LOVE!