Philippians 1:29–30

“For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.” Philippians 1:29–30

Many believers often assume that following Jesus will shield them from pain, trouble, or suffering. But the truth is, even our Lord Himself faced rejection, mocking, criticism, and ultimately the suffering of the cross on our behalf. If Christ suffered, how can we expect to be exempt?

The Apostle Paul reminds us that believing in Christ is no accident. It is intentional, granted by God’s grace. God calls each of us to repentance and faith in the gospel so that we may be with Him in His Kingdom.

The Philippian believers were already experiencing persecution and may have wondered, “Why should we suffer if we are faithfully serving God?” Paul encouraged them with the truth: godliness and suffering often go hand in hand. They had seen Paul and Silas beaten for preaching the gospel (Acts 16), and now Paul himself was imprisoned for the very same reason. To live for Christ in a world that opposes Him will always bring resistance. As Paul also wrote: “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

We know that this present world is ruled by darkness, and darkness hates the children of light. When we become disciples of Jesus, He commissions us to do as He did: to proclaim that “the Kingdom of God is at hand.” That message carries both promise and warning. The promise of salvation for those who receive Christ, and the warning of judgment for those who reject Him. Without Jesus reigning in our hearts, no one will escape that judgment.

We are living in a world set against us, but our hope is not here. Our true citizenship is in God’s Kingdom, and our suffering for Christ’s sake is a reminder that we belong to Him and not to this world.

This truth calls us to reflect, if our faith has never led to criticism, mocking, or opposition from the world, are we truly walking with Jesus? The absence of opposition may reveal that we are blending in with the world rather than standing boldly for Christ. As James reminds us: “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).