Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today the Holy Spirit wants to distinguish legitimate longsuffering reveals God’s truth rather than Sin’s consequences.

Today’s scripture, 1 Peter 4:12-16 (NLT)…
[12] Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. [13] Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. [14] If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. [15] If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. [16] But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!

Consider…
March 23, 1940 a new gameshow debuted called “Truth or Consequences”. The show’s premise was contestants must answer a trivia question correctly or face the “consequences” by performing a zany and embarrassing stunt.

As the Holy Spirit is want to do, the show’s title is being redeemed for God’s glory and our edification.

A common mistake made by people is mislabeling, making excuses for, what they are going through. People try to lessen their consequences by legitimizing their actions.

Here’s a handful of commonly used excuses for perceived suffering…

• It’s because of my ethnicity
• It’s because of my sexual orientation
• It’s because of my upbringing
• It’s because life’s unfair
• It’s because I’m only human

People prefer to see consequences as mistreatments due to uncontrollable circumstances and biases rather than results of their misconduct.

For example, a person pulled over for speeding amid a sea of vehicles speeding, is prone to ask why they were singled out rather than just acknowledging their wrongdoing.

This reminds me of the first excuses recorded in the Bible. Genesis 3:9-13 (NLT) shares…
[9] Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” [10] He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” [11] “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” [12] The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” [13] Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”

• Adam said his disobedience it was God’s fault for giving Him Eve
• and it was the Eve’s fault for leading him astray
• Eve said the devil made her do it

…now let’s look at God’s responses to their excuses, which was everybody will suffer!

Genesis 3:14-19 (NLT) provides the consequences of everyone’s actions…
[14] Then the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. [15] And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” [16] Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” [17] And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. [18] It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. [19] By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.”

I shared this because today’s scripture points out…
If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs.

Understand, suffering as a result of ungodly behavior is ‘just’ consequences. The Holy Spirit is emphasizing suffering is a legitimate consequence to sin.

However, today’s passage also highlights there is a privilege in partnering with Christ in suffering.

Romans 8:17 (NLT) explains…
[17] And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Between today’s scripture and this verse, it’s clear that suffering for Christ in our story is a prerequisite to experiencing God’s glory.

But what does suffering for Christ look like? Is it being a matyr?

Merriam-Webster defines matyr as:

• a person who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty of witnessing to and refusing to renounce a religion
• a person who sacrifices something of great value and especially life itself for the sake of principle

Based on those definitions, I don’t think martyrdom is a legitimate basis of longsuffering. God hasn’t called us to die for religion or a principle.

No, true longsuffering is tethered to giving up our lives for others like Christ. 1 John 3:16 (NLT) states…
[16] We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Based on this verse, and our understanding of the suffering consequences of sin, we can conclude legitimate longsuffering is inextricably linked to helping others.

To illustrate this truth, the Holy Spirit called the Apostle Paul as a witness, and he said in Colossians 1:24-25 (NLT)…
[24] I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. [25] God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you.

If it’s not for others, it’s not the longsuffering fruit.

But the Holy Spirit showed me that being for others may also look different than we think. He reminded of Jesus healing the man was blind from birth…
John 9:2-3 (NLT) shares…
[2] “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” [3] “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.

This shows us, legitimate longsuffering always reveals God’s power.

That reminds me of another familiar suffering event, found in John 11:3-6 (NLT)…
[3] So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” [4] But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” [5] So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, [6] he stayed where he was for the next two days.

Notice, Jesus said that his beloved friend’s death was intentional so that the ‘Son of God’ would be glorified.

This shows us, if God doesn’t get the glory, it’s not a legitimate longsuffering story.

Then the Holy Spirit reiterated the benefit of others link to legitimate longsuffering, found a few verses later in John 11:14-15 (NLT)…
[14] So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. [15] And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”

With this, the Holy Spirit connected the dots and colored in the picture. Legitimate longsuffering reveals who God is so that others can really believe in Him.

Others should be inspired by, not tired of, our longsuffering stories.

This reminds me of the hymn lyrics…

1 I love to tell the story
of unseen things above,
of Jesus and His glory,
of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story
because I know it’s true.
it satisfies my longings
as nothing else can do.

Refrain:
I love to tell the story!
‘Twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story
of Jesus and His love.

3 I love to tell the story;
’tis pleasant to repeat
what seems, each time I tell it
more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story;
for some have never heard
the message of salvation
from God’s own holy Word. [Refrain]

4 I love to tell the story,
for those who know it best
seem hungering and thirsting
to hear it like the rest.
And when in scenes of glory
I sing the new, new song,
’twill be the old, old story
that I have loved so long. [Refrain]

Jesus’ longsuffering story is God’s legacy of love on a loop in our hearts and minds.

This begs the question, what will be the theme of your longsuffering legacy loop. I personally would love to share brother Paul’s from 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NLT), which sings…
[6] As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. [7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. [8] And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

Said in sports terms, I want it to be said of me that I left everything on the field for the team to win. I didn’t play for myself, but rather for my teammates. Because it’s not about me, but it’s always about the team, owned and led by Christ.

Thus, I can also testify with fellow teammate Paul…
Philippians 1:20-25 (NLT)…
[20] For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. [21] For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. [22] But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. [23] I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. [24] But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. [25] Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith.

The Holy Spirit is emphasizing, His longsuffering fruit is to meant to help other see and glorify God, because our display of…

• Love in the midst of hate
• Joy in the midst of sorrow
• Peace in the midst of the storm

…a peace that surpasses understanding

So as you go through suffering, God says ask yourself if it’s an offering Him or simply a consequence of your sin?

Legitimate longsuffering helps lead others to the WAY, so they can know the TRUTH, about the LIFE, found in our Heavenly Father.

Today’s song is…
If I Can Help Somebody

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)