Acts 5:33-42.

Our passage today begs us to answer the question, why do I pray not to suffer?

The disciples were ostracized, judged, beaten, condemned. And yet their response to this awful trial was not despair or grief or lament. They rejoiced “because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (v. 41). Imagine being that worthy!

Often, when we modern-day disciples encounter difficulties, we fall back into a whining mode. We cry out to God, ask Him to take away our pain, tell Him it’s not fair, wonder why all this is happening. Big problems or little problems, we usually ask God to take all the problems away.

The disciples, however, present us with an intriguing thought: What if we rejoiced over our sufferings? What if we praised God for the opportunity to struggle? What if we proclaimed the grace of God in the midst of our trials?

The next time we’re confronted with a problem, let us endeavor to rejoice as the disciples did. And then let’s see what God will do!

Author: Jennifer Coffman