ICS Daily Devotions
Pressed but Not Crushed

There is one kind of suffering that all of us will experience as believers. It is being persecuted for our faith. However, it doesn’t mean that God has forsaken us when we are persecuted for our faith and for righteousness’ sake.
John 15:20 (NKJV) Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
When persecution comes, often we are surprised and perplexed. Sometimes, we even ask, ‘Why is this happening?’ But in this passage, Jesus practically promised that persecution will come.
Romans 8:35 (NKJV) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
We would have read about how the first martyr, Stephen, was stoned to death for his faith. The Apostles and many other followers of Christ suffered persecution, tortured, and died horrible deaths  beheaded, crucified, boiled in a vat of oil, flayed alive, dragged by horses  and that is just to mention a few.
Praise God that we do not live in fear of these kinds of persecution. In the modern world, we face a different kind of persecution. Our speech is limited, we always face the possibility of being labelled bigots. Our opinions are ridiculed, we are called narrow-minded and old-fashioned.
Through it all, the early Christians counted it joy to suffer for the sake of the Kingdom. Compared to the intense persecution and cold cruelty they endured, the afflictions we face here and now in these modern times are indeed minor. We might be persecuted, but they were, and we are, never forsaken. Let us take these moments to exercise our faith muscle, our perseverance will eventually produce character, and character hope!
He will turn our sorrows into dancing. Let us look forward to the sound of percussions and prepare to break into a dance of joy!

Sermon Series: The Dependability of God