26.5 In My Troubles, I Trust In God

(Psalm 56:1-4; 8-11)

Be merciful to me, O God,
because I am under attack;
my enemies persecute me all the time.
All day long my opponents attack me.
There are so many who fight against me.
When I am afraid, O Lord Almighty,
I put my trust in you.
I trust in God and am not afraid;
I praise him for what he has promised.
What can a mere human being do to me?

You know how troubled I am;
You have kept a record of my tears.
Aren’t they listed in your book?
The day I call to you,
my enemies will be turned back.
I know this: God is on my side—
The Lord, whose promises I praise.
In him I trust, and I will not be afraid.
What can a mere human being do to me?

26.4 Rejoice—We Share In Christ’s Suffering

(1 Peter 4:12-16)

My dear friend, do not be surprised at the painful test you are suffering, as though something unusual were happening to you. Rather be glad that you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may be full of joy when his glory is revealed. Happy are you if you are insulted because you are Christ’s followers; this means that the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God, is resting on you. If any of you suffers, it must not be because he is a murderer or a thief or a criminal or meddles in other people’s affairs. However, if you suffer because you are a Christian, don’t be ashamed of it, but thank God that you bear Christ’s name.

26.3 Our Models: The Prophets

(James 5:10-11)

My brothers, remember the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Take them as examples of patient endurance under suffering. We call them happy because they endured. You have heard of Jacob’s patience, and you know how the Lord provided for him in the end. For the Lord is full of mercy and compassion.

26.2 Afflicted But Not Crushed

(2 Corinthians 4:8-18)

We are often troubled, but not crushed; sometimes in doubt, but never in despair; there are many enemies, but we are never without a friend; and though badly hurt at times, we are not destroyed. At all times we carry in our mortal bodies the death of Jesus, so that his life also may be seen in our bodies. Throughout our live we are always in danger of death for Jesus’ sake, in order that his life may be seen in this mortal body of ours. This means that death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

The scripture says, “I spoke because I believed.” In the same spirit of faith we also speak because we believe. We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus to life, will also raise us up with Jesus and take us, together with you, into his presence. All this is for your sake; and as God’s grace reaches more and more people, they will offer to the glory of God more prayers of thanksgiving.

For this reason we never become discouraged. Even though our physical being is gradually decaying, yet our spiritual being is renewed day after day. And this small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the trouble. For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever.

26.1 We Are At The End Of The Line

(1 Corinthians 4:9-13a)

For it seems to me that God has given the very last place to us apostles, like men condemned to die in public as a spectacle for the whole world of angels and of mankind. For Christ’s sake we are fools; but you are wise in union with Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! We are despised, but you are honored! To this very moment we go hungry and thirsty; we are clothed in rags; we are beaten, we wander from place to place; we wear ourselves out with hard work. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are insulted, we answer back with kind words.