I don’t like suffering. I know, weird right? As prepper’s we work to avoid it now and in the future. We store food, water, medicine and other things, to mitigate suffering in the future as much as possible. There is another type of suffering that I don’t have much experience with; suffering for my savior.

I am blessed to have been born in America. My family was poor growing up but we didn’t suffer. We might not have had a lot, but we always had food. I may have been made fun of a few times because of my faith, but that isn’t suffering, not compared to the way people in other countries suffer.

I have felt compelled lately to prepare for both kinds of suffering. I don’t think anyone who reads this blog thinks that we as a country can keep kicking the economic can down the road. The piper will soon have to be paid; there will be pain and suffering for most. Those that see it now and prepare for it will still suffer, but suffer less.

I can’t say what form it will take for sure, but I have been watching what municipalities have been cutting back on. In California, police departments in some cities have said they will no longer respond to certain types of crimes. In Michigan, there was a city that pulled some of the light poles out and won’t be lighting chunks of the city. Instead of making the cuts where they can really make a difference, cuts are made to items of public safety.

As for how we will suffer as Christians, I can’t say for sure either. American Christians have been blessed. We haven’t had much persecution. However I don’t think that will be the case for long. Even now the ACLU is trying to get rid of any trace of God in any School or government setting.  Mainstream media mocks us openly and takes His name in vain using it as a cuss word.  Any expression of faith is mocked, “Tebowing” for example.  I wonder how far actual persecution and suffering is from mockery and blasphemy.

How do you get ready to suffer? Getting ready for economic suffering is simpler I think; make do on less, gut the fluff and keep prepping. Simple, yet not easy.

Preparing our spirits for suffering is a bit more complicated in my opinion. The reason is that you won’t know if you’re truly ready or not until you’re tested. There are things we can do; we can be in the word, memorizing verses, be in prayer, we can listen to worship music and we can pray for our enemies (this is a hard one for me; I want God to pummel the ACLU and those who drag His name through the mud). Most importantly, we can know who we are in the Lord. Watchmen Nee’s book Sit Walk Stand helps explain the different phases of our walk with Christ.

1Peter 2:20
But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

God willing, may we learn to suffer well and be commendable before God.
 
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