There will be times during our Christian walk when we will suffer.  Someone once said, “No cross, no crown.”  The Master suffered on our behalf.  While our suffering will certainly not compare to His, we can be assured there is a price we must pay in following Him.  He suffered, bled, and died, and paid the awesome price on Calvary for our sins.  Not only will we have to suffer, but we should not be ashamed of our suffering. In 1 Peter 4:16, we find these words:

“But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by His name!”

This verse refers to a time when the mere profession of Christianity was a crime in the eyes of the government. Yet, the writer indicates that we should boldly give glory to God, in the name of Christ, right in the middle of our suffering for Him.  It is an honor to carry the title of Christian, for it truly indicates our identity in Christ and our place in God’s family.  Suffering for Christ is completely different from suffering from burdens and troubles. The question I would like to raise is, “are we suffering for being a Christian?”  We need to search our hearts to find the answer.  Prayerfully, our answer is “yes.”