Paul- An Example of Suffering.

1Ti 1:12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 

1Ti 1:13  Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 

1Ti 1:14  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 

1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 

1Ti 1:17  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

Paul's suffering is a pattern for all of us.

Paul who assented to killing Christ followers, Paul who once He was shown the Light of the Savior Jesus Christ and the truth was revealed to Him, followed Christ with His whole heart.

Paul suffered terribly. If you think for one second He didn't suffer horrifically you are deluding yourself.  We read things and sometimes we don't comprehend the full truth of what we're reading.  When we read that Paul was whipped do we feel the pain of each strike across his flesh? Do we feel the skin of his back being split open, blood spraying from the whip as it is yanked back coiling for yet another blow? Do we cry out in agony as the whip cuts through muscle all the way to the bone? Thirty nine vicious strikes with the whip, and what? We don't imagine the true horror of how it felt? What about having stones whipped at you? Can you imagine the pain of that? Paul was stoned, and that doesn't mean a single little pebble was thrown at him. Stones rained down upon him, cutting him, bruising him, making him bleed profusely. These physical assaults Paul endured over and over never stopped him from loving the LORD, it never turned him from his belief in the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Paul was an example to us all.

No, we all may not face physical abuse for our faith, but Satan will assault us viciously with the spiritual weapons he possesses.

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

We suffered as Christ followers. Our lives are NOT meant to be easy, not when we stand for the truth.

1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 

Don't fool yourself into believing your life should be easy, expect suffering in whatever form it may take and don't be discouraged. Hold fast to our Savior!

1Ti 1:17  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.