Persecuted but Joyful
The Purpose of Suffering I used to complain a lot while suffering and then one day the Lord showed me that it didn’t reflect who he was and now I also realize that suffering or trials are used to teach and remind us what we learn in the Word and practice joy through the trials. The example of joy More than one church in the new testament suffered persecution. But the church in Thessalonica was a church that still received the word with joy despite of everything that was happening to them. The Apostle Paul visited them once and never returned. Why? Because Satan stopped him from going back (2:18) A couple of verses catch my attention in the first chapter: So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. As a result, you have become example to all the believers in Greece-throughout both Macedonia and Achaia. (1Thessalonians 1:6-7) Joy is a sign of maturity I