“For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.” Philippians 1:29-30.

Lord of our lives, Dear Living Christ, you suffered for us on the Cross and conquered death through the resurrection. You told us that if we followed you faithfully, the time would come when we would suffer for it. Although we do not live under government oppression like so many in today’s world, there are ways that evil causes us to suffer for you. For every faithful Christian there is a time of pain and suffering for our faith. We all go through a similitude of a cross experience, but we also enter into the glory of the resurrection.

There are conflicts with the forces of evil in our society against which we stand and will not compromise. These things will always be, so help us not to grow weary in the defense of the gospel.
But we thank you that you count us worthy to suffer for your sake.

Amen.