Could You Do It?
Could you? Could you do it? That is, could you be a martyr for Christ?
I do not wish anything bad to happen to anyone, but you do realize there are hundreds of people being martyred for their faith every day. Paul and Silas were stripped and beaten with rods. Then they rejoiced that they could suffer for the Lord. None of us really want to endure pain or suffering. We have learned how to self-medicate. The slightest touch of a headache or a bump on our arm or stubbing our big toe, we know exactly what pill or cream to use to alleviate the pain. Suffering in our culture is what we try to avoid.
But stop and think a minute. There are times in our lives that we have suffered. Perhaps it was rejection by a loved one or a friend. Perhaps your children have grown and have left the faith. Or maybe you are a cancer survivor and have gone through chemo and other treatments.
For myself, my knees, hip, and back all remind me each day how old I am getting. So, it is important in our faith that ‘we offer it up.’ Yes, I offer up the daily pain to the Lord, asking him to use my suffering to help someone else who may be suffering more than I. It is a simple prayer, a simple request, but God knows how to magnify your pain into something special for others who really need your prayers.
In this matter, we become part of the multitude of silent martyrs offering our suffering for others who need God’s love and infinite mercy more than we do. Begin today. Of course, you can still take the aspirin or Tylenol or what you need, but wait five minutes and offer that little bit up to the Lord.
May the Lord bless you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen