"For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have." -Philippians 1:29,30
Paul's words here in the first chapter of Philippians caught me off guard. I was mostly surprised by the word "granted". That word "grant" literally means "bestow" or "to do a favour to" (Blueletterbible). Paul is saying that suffering has been bestowed as a favor to us for Christ's sake. How can this be? How could Paul write to an entire church - and to us - and say that God is doing us a favor by granting us suffering?
Here's the problem: we live in a time when most of us expect gratification, and gratification as fast as possible. We seek ways to be comfortable, happy, and safe. While God certainly does desire to bless us, I think that maybe these blessings come in vastly different form than we might expect.
Here in America we have been taught for generation after generation that the "American Dream" is what God really wants for us. The truth is that God has not called us to a "pursuit of happiness". Rather, He has called us to a relentless pursuit of Himself, through which we experience His joy. The American dream is to increase our wealth and happiness more and more to the glory and praise of us, our hard work, and our abilities. But Paul prays:
"that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:9-11
To believe in Christ is to abound in Christ. Abounding in Christ is to increase in love, knowledge, and discernment. My generation was raised with mindless TV shows filling (or emptying) our minds. We are surrounded by (and sometimes part of) a crowd of people who love to escape either into mindless activities like Flappy Bird or Candy Crush, or into fluff-stuffed pursuits with little more than a forgery of hope. We are trained by Disney to follow our dreams and do whatever makes us happy. The brutal truth is that a Christian is not called to this life. Christians are called to a faith with obedience that invokes suffering for Christ's sake.
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4
"...you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel." Philippians 1:7
James, speaking to believers, says that we will meet trials - and many kinds of trials at that. Paul says that part of being a partaker of grace is partaking in not only in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, but also in his imprisonment (Philippians 1:7). Why then, would anyone want to hold a belief that will bring trials and imprisonment? James gives us the answer: trials produce steadfastness. Because of this we can "count it all joy" when we suffer for the sake of Christ. "Yes, and I will rejoice..." (Philippians 1:18b).
So, when we believe, our obedience may (James says it will) bring trials (James 1:2-4; Matthew 5:11). And we are supposed to rejoice in suffering. But why should we rejoice?
"I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel... Yes, and I will rejoice." Philippians 1:12, 18b
The reason for rejoicing in our suffering for the sake of Christ is that it serves to advance the gospel. If we are completely wrapped in our Father's love and have experienced His pleasure, there should be few greater joys than that same pleasure being experienced by others because of our obedience to God. When we are obedient and are granted suffering for Christ's sake, our joy will be made full (John 15:10-11). This is the blessing God desires to give us: complete joy.
The suffering I have been talking about is suffering for our obedience to God. Suffering in the form of loneliness, separation from earthly joys, ostracism, or mocking because of obedience in Christ. However, there are certainly other kinds of suffering, like illness. While illness is not necessarily the result of obedience, the joy that can be found in the midst of illness comes from the advancement of the gospel through our steadfastness in Christ because of His strength in us. If we lean into Christ's strength in the midst of any kind of suffering, our strength will be our witness.
God will definitely bless some people with things like financial success and other temporary blessings. But God's overarching goal in His blessings for us is to mold us more and more into becoming like Christ and to showcase His love and strength. So my prayer for you, and for myself, is that of Paul's over the Church of Philippi. I pray this because through it we will be equipped for every good work He has set before us and our joy will be complete.
"...it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:9-11
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