Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit Me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds.  And know that you are in good company.  My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:11-12‬ ‭MSG‬‬

 

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Good Company

“And know that you are in good company.”

As a Christian woman, sometimes I get surprised, even a little shocked, when things happen to me.  I say to myself, “I am a Christian, this shouldn’t be.”  I shouldn’t feel this way, or be treated that way, or go through these things.

“In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.”

Matthew 5:45

I have learned, even as a woman of faith, that I am still human, and I will experience many things throughout my life.  Some of these things don’t feel fair or feel good, and almost feel as an intentional act towards me, but I must remind myself that those around me are human too.

I make mistakes, so I can expect others to do the same.

I say and do the wrong things sometimes so I can assume that others will as well.

I once experienced something that I struggled to make sense of and I could not understand it.  It just didn’t seem right or fair and during a time of prayer a woman of faith shared with me a profound truth…

“You are in good company”

I didn’t understand it and it sure didn’t feel that way, but she shed some light into my heart. She said,

You feel betrayed? Jesus was betrayed.

You feel mistreated? Jesus was mistreated.

You feel hurt? Jesus was hurt and He was hurt by those very people whom He loved and trusted.

You are in good company, Jesus understands.

When she spoke these words over me and prayed for me I felt an immediate burden was lifted from my life. I realized my hurt and pain was rooted in expectation.

Expectations

I expected to be treated right, if I treated others right.

I expected to be loved, if I loved others.

I expected to be treated fairly, if I acted fairly with others.

But we all know that this is not always so.  Believing in Jesus and having faith in God does not mean that life will be a smooth walk in the park. We do not live in some special utopia where everything will always be perfect.  At least, not this side of heaven.

Cultivating Grace

When we grasp this truth we can truly understand the concept of grace, love and forgiveness.

Not just in words but in action.

We will see that life can be filled with joy and peace, no matter what turmoil surrounds us.  I now understand what it means when I am told that I am in good company.

Jesus didn’t sit with the high and mighty.  He didn’t choose to be around those who had it all together.  He went after the lost and hurting. He sought out the outcasts and mess-ups.  – the not so “perfect” people.

He experienced criticism and rejection. But He endured, He loved, He forgave and He stood the course.

I don’t want to just say that I know of Jesus.  I truly desire and want to be more like Him.

I want to live and walk in the truths I read about.  I want to love the unlovable. Forgive the unforgivable. Give grace to the least deserving.

Because underneath it all, underneath my Sunday’s best I’m a wretch. I am a sinner.  I am imperfect and I am in need of grace.  I am a person that deserved nothing but God has given me so much.  He loves and forgives me and so I will do the same.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

Ephesians 2:8-9

With Love,

Tisha