“All those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Timothy’s timid, sickly nature was a liability in a day-

– when people were thrown to the lions for their faith in Christ.

So Paul tried to prepare him for the dangers ahead-

– by warning him that anyone who practiced Christianity would be persecuted.

The only way to avoid persecution was to deny Christ.

Some Christians take suffering as a sign that they’re out of God’s will.

They spend their entire lives avoiding anything that causes them discomfort, even when it could be that God wants them to endure some discomfort for his sake.

Look at it this way:

If God were only concerned that we be happy one hundred percent of the time, Jesus would never have gone to the cross.

John the Baptist would never have been beheaded.

Paul would never have been imprisoned.

God is more concerned with our obedience than with our comfort.

Now, you will probably never be thrown to the lions for your faith-

– but you may be mocked at school or at work.

You may be excluded from certain programmes.

You may not be as popular as you might have been.

If you seek to live a godly life-

– be assured that persecution will come.

Nevertheless, when you overcome it-

– you will share in the same glorious reward as John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul.

The Bible assures us that no suffering in this life can match-

– the wonder of being loved by God for eternity!