An Unexpected Honour
Philippians 1:29 God has blessed you in ways that serve Christ. He allowed you to believe in Christ. But that is not all. He has also given you the honour of suffering for Christ. Both of these bring glory to Christ.
We all love the idea of blessings – health, success, peace, maybe a bit of happiness along the way. But what if one of God’s blessings doesn’t feel like a blessing at all? What if it costs you?
When civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. chose the path of non-violence, he knew it would bring suffering. Threats, imprisonment, hatred – even death. Yet he called it “the high honour of suffering for righteousness’ sake.” His life was a stark reminder that some causes are so right, so sacred, that pain becomes part of the privilege.
That’s exactly what the Apostle Paul wrote to believers in the ancient city of Philippi:
Philippians 1:29 God has blessed you in ways that serve Christ. He allowed you to believe in Christ. But that is not all. He has also given you the honour of suffering for Christ. Both of these bring glory to Christ.
Paul penned those words from prison. He wasn’t being poetic – he was living it. Faith in Christ had brought him chains, yet he saw even those as an honour.
The truth is, loving Jesus isn’t about comfort; it’s about courage. Serving Him sometimes means swimming against the tide, standing for what’s right when it costs something.
So, if following what’s true feels hard – don’t shrink back. You’re in good company. Because real faith doesn’t run from sacrifice … it finds its joy in it.
God has blessed you in ways that serve Christ. He allowed you to believe in Christ. But that is not all. He has also given you the honour of suffering for Christ. Both of these bring glory to Christ
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
Blessed by this devotion?
Share it with a friend!
Respond