We don’t often put those two words together – “blessed” and “suffering.” We normally consider ourselves blessed if we are not suffering. We talk about God’s blessing on us as American Christians because we have not been subjected to the kind of persecution many of our brothers and sisters in foreign lands have endured. Yet, in his first epistle (3:14), Peter plainly says. “if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed…” and he’s talking about persecution. The pain of persecution is not a blessing. The public ridicule; the personal loss; the heartache; the uncertainty – those things are not the reason persecution is a blessing. It’s a blessing because we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Jesus and countless Christians before us who also suffered unjustly. It’s a blessing because we have a chance to defend the faith. It’s a blessing because we know God is in control and those who persecute us can only go so far. It’s a blessing because we have hope that goes way beyond this life. It’s a blessing because we know we have a clear conscience. It’s a blessing because we know we’ll be vindicated in the end.