In trials, count it all joy (VII) Blessed is he who is not offended by me

Nobody likes trials, I don't, but as I already said, they're common to humanity. And it's natural to ask why! John the Baptist had done everything right, it had landed him in jail and ultimately it cost him his head. But in the meantime in his suffering, he began to doubt, and sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus “Are You the One who is to come, or shall we look for another” (Matthew 11:3). Perhaps John was expecting to be delivered, but in any case what was happening made no sense to him. Jesus sends the two back to John to tell him of the wonderful works they saw Him doing. He then speaks to both John and to us, saying “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” (verse 6).


We need to get this straight, life in not always fair, nor does life always work the way we want it to. Indeed “the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong”(Ecclesiastes 9:11). It is only in eternity that every wrong will be fully made right. James addresses this in 1:9 where he talks about how the humble brother or sister will be exalted in the hereafter. If this life is all there is, there is no justice. If a mother Teressa ends up in the exact same place as a Hitler, then God is not just. But God is not unjust to forget your work and your labor of love which you have shown toward His name. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 6:10; 11:6). We suffer of course both for our own poor choices, and for what happens to us . In terms of rejoicing in our trials, it's one things to suffer patiently for our faults, quite another when we do good and suffer, to then take it patiently. This we are told is graceworthy before God. In fact we are called to this! The point is, that Christ in His innocence also suffered for us, and in doing so, left us an example, to follow (1 Peter 2:20, 21).


I often think it costs us too little in the West, to come to Christ. I am not saying it does not cost, but compared to those places where you can be put to death if you convert, our persecution is relatively mild. We cannot escape suffering, but He calls us to be overcomers (Romans 12:21), and we can overcome because He is at work in us, and He overcame (John 16:33). When many of the disciples were offended and “walked no more with Him,” Jesus asked the twelve if they too would go away. Peter answered to the effect that they while they did not understand, one thing they knew, and that is that when Jesus spoke, His Words brought life (John 6:53-68).


Lord Jesus, You told us offences must come. Such times are crossroads, will we be offended, many are (Mark 4:17)? I do not pretend to understand all that You allow Lord, but with Peter I know that choosing not to be offended is the way of life. And Lord You never call us to endure anything You yourself have not endured, and You give us the wherewith all to endure it. And then You turn round and reward us for it. What an amazing God You are, and I thank and praise You again this morning Lord, in Your precious Name I pray Amen