Finding Joy in Suffering For Christ

Today we celebrate the feast of Saints Perpetua and Felicity, who were martyred for their Christianity in the year 202.  As I was reading to the kids this morning from Saints and their Feast Days, I came across this list of scriptures that remind us to offer our sufferings for Christ in JOY.

We all have times in our lives where our crosses seem too heavy to bear.  As we approach Lent, let us all remember that Christ has done the heavy lifting for us.  Let us pray to have the faith of a mustard seed.

Blessings to you

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Galatians 6:14

But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Philippians 1:30

Yours is the same struggle as you saw in me and now hear about me.

Philippians 3:8-10

More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and (the) sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death.

Philippians 4:13 

I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.

Colossians 3:4

When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

1 Peter 1:6-7

In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 4:13

But rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly.