It’s not easy being a Christian today. It never has been. Jesus said that would be the case. We need a deeper joy, a deeper hope to live for to make it through. Easter gives us that living hope. But don’t be surprised by the suffering. Jesus experienced it too. Rejoice in it! It’s proof you belong to Him! Don’t be ashamed – be honored! We have nothing to fear about the future – but everything to look forward to! We are in the hands of the God who loved us so much He suffered for us and gave his life for us!

It’s not easy to suffer. We want to fight back and get revenge. But as Jesus followers, we live a new way. We don’t repay evil with evil, but evil with good. We are called to actively bless people! Even hard-to-bless people! If we are afraid of people, we will keep our mouths shut and not share the life-giving hope we have to share. Let’s remember the living hope of Easter. That will open our mouths and give us reason to share our hope. We have a living, eternal hope! Death is not the last word. The faith the Holy Spirit has given us brings us into that hope. Our “suffering” will lead to hope for many!

Jesus knows what it is like to be ridiculed, abandoned, and humiliated. He suffered for us and by doing that, gave us a reason to live for Him, even when that is hard or means suffering for us. The first enemy we have to fight is our own sinful self. It craves things that God knows aren’t good for us. Let God change our hearts and minds – which will begin to change our behavior. The best way to do this is living with the end in mind – especially when the going is difficult. Living for God includes self-control, wisdom, loving, showing hospitality, serving, giving. We do all these things together as the body of Christ.