Philippians 1:29 For it has been granted to you, not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for Him.
Keith Green said “Anyone choosing to follow Jesus must remember that He was well acquainted with grief – even His parents suffered. We must be ready to suffer with Him.” Keith went into details of the suffering of the holy family. Mary: a pregnant virgin meant she wasn’t a virgin, rather a sinful woman. Joseph: probably viewed as the “other party” when he agreed to marry a compromised bride. They were forced by the Romans to make the arduous journey to Bethlehem on foot and donkey when Mary was nearing her due date. They had no hotel reservations; Mary gave birth in a filthy cave used for livestock. Two years later, they fled to a foreign land as numerous children were slaughtered in Israel. Had I been Joseph, I would have wrestled with a sense of failure as a husband and father. I would have questioned God’s faithfulness. “You can tell me that this is Your son, but You can’t protect us from these extreme hardships!?”
As I recently watched The Nativity Story, this truth hit me again: God did not shelter Jesus, Mary, and Joseph from extremely difficult circumstances. God let them suffer. He could have caused a sudden cancellation at the first inn they approached. The Gospel would read, ‘…an inn keeper said, “You can have the best room!” ‘ That is often how I want the script for my life to unfold. When I am on that hard journey to Bethlehem, when there is no room for me, or when I create enemies by choosing the right thing, I expect God to come to my rescue. When He doesn’t, I feel like something is wrong.
People suffer everywhere everyday. Because Jesus suffered so much, He is the perfect comforter and counselor. The difficulties we face with Him can cause us to be better representatives of His compassion. In Philippians Paul wrote of suffering as a privilege – a Christmas gift! “It has been granted to you to suffer for Him.” You have been chosen for this honored service. When we are walking in obedience to Him, difficulties are not a sign that something is wrong, rather a sign that He trusts us with the precious work of the kingdom. You were called to continue His work on earth. He will not protect you from every hardship. He may not rescue you from every enemy. But He will empower you, through those difficulties, to know more of Him; that you might be transformed into the image of the One who suffered most. “Give us the strength to embrace this gift.” What a privilege. Rejoice!