Feeling hated, excluded, insulted, rejected, spoken evil of? Then just know that you are one BLESSED individual!

Real Dudes,
As a genuine / all-in follower of Christ, do you feel hated, excluded, insulted, rejected, spoken evil of? Then you are one blessed individual. You might be thinking, “excuse me,” “say what?” Yeppers, you read that correctly. If you’re experiencing or feeling such things, then Jesus reminds us that you are blessed. Take a look at  

Luke 6:22 (NIV) Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.

So then, what is Jesus saying here? One author from gotquestions.org teaches us that, “The Greek word translated ‘blessed’ means ‘happy, blissful’ or, literally, ‘to be enlarged.’ In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus uses the word to refer to more than a superficial happiness; in this context, blessed refers to a state of spiritual well-being and prosperity. The happiness is a deep joy of the soul. Those who experience the first aspect of a beatitude (poor, mourn, meek, hungry for righteousness, merciful, pure, peacemakers, and persecuted) will also experience the second aspect of the beatitude (kingdom of heaven, comfort, inherit the earth, filled, mercy, see God, called sons of God, inherit the kingdom of heaven). The blessed have a share in salvation and have entered the kingdom of God, experiencing a foretaste of heaven. Another possible rendering of the beginning of each beatitude is ‘O the bliss [or blessedness] of . . . .’ The Beatitudes describe the ideal disciple and his rewards, both present and future. The person whom Jesus describes in this passage has a different quality of character and lifestyle than those still ‘outside the kingdom.’" 

If you’re struggling with this lesson (how to apply it or making sense of it), or struggling with this experience in life, then please know that you can reach out to me anytime. Would love to walk through this with you. 

James 1:12 (NIV) Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

1 Peter 4:14 (NIV) If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

Practicing His Presence,
Nate

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