Afflictions

1 PETER 2:19,20

There is a certain glory in suffering wrongfully and taking it patiently. Christ entered into His glory at the point of suffering wrongfully (Lk. 24:26), and when we enter into His suffering, or suffer with Him, it is only at this point that we do so. When we are “buffeted” for our faults, this is justice; but if we are buffeted “innocently”, this is glory for us Look at 1 Peter 4:14: “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.” Consider also the three Hebrew children of Daniel 3: Until they entered the fire, they did not see Jesus, but as soon as they were in the fiery furnace of affliction, Jesus came to visit! Jesus is there for us, whenever we need Him, and even when we think we don’t! So we see the value of patience.