Suffering a Sign of Christ

"And he calls us to follow him in his sufferings because this life of joyful suffering for Jesus' sake (Matt. 5:12) shows that he is more valuable than all the earthly rewards that the world lives for (Matt. 13:44; 6:19-20). If you follow Jesus only because he makes life easy now, it will look to the world as though you really love what they love, and Jesus just happens to provide it for you. But if you suffer with Jesus in the pathway of love because he is your supreme treasure, then it will be apparent to the world that your heart is set on a different fortune than theirs." - John Piper, What Jesus Demands from the World, p 71

How do we show that our lives are different from unbelievers'? It's through various sufferings. As this excerpt points out, that includes self-inflicted suffering or denial. This is a comforting thing for me to read since I have to admit my life does not have much external suffering or persecution. But I do know that my family's denial of an overly expensive home, no new cars, and simply living frugally does mean something significant. Oh they're not the same as being beheaded for the faith, but they do tell us that we're on the right path, albeit the first steps of the path, to true obedience. They tell me that Christ truly is our treasure and that our confessions of faith are not mere lip service. Honestly, I'm not looking forward to greater persecutions, but if it brings more glory to my Lord, then so be it!