I don’t believe many are left around in the Lord’s church like Kayla Mueller who was recently murdered by ISIS for her faith.See https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2019/october/baghdadi-operation-named-after-christian-woman-who-refused-to-give-up-faith-before-being-killed-by-isis
Comfort, convenience, and complacency are more preferred than Christ likeness to the extent of suffering for Him. Suffering is inherent in the Christian life (2 Tim. 3:13). At the same time, we can have the same attitude as the apostles:”So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.” (Acts 5:41). As you know, we don’t choose suffering, but when the Lord allows it, we rejoice and like Paul testify that “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead”(Philippians 3:7-11). Peter requested to be crucified upside down because he didn’t feel worthy to suffer as his Savior had. I see Christian suffering as the Lord’s signature on our lives. Kayla got His signature in all capital letters for her faith unto death. May God help us stand firm for Christ no matter what are the consequences. His words to the church of Smyrna should encourage us: “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).Blessings!
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