Maybe you have looked at other people who cause you problems or who are engaged in some sinful activity and it seems that they are prospering in spite of their wicked lifestyle. You, on the other hand, are doing your best to serve God and you know the many problems you face in your life. Life doesn’t seem fair. Maybe you wonder if being a Christian is worth it. You may even be tempted to give up your life as a true follower of Jesus and enjoy the pleasures of sin – to join the other side. Don’t do it! Don’t give up.
Consider what the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 “Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” God is just; He sees all that is happening and justice will be done in the end. For those who trouble you, God will repay them with tribulation. The evil ones should fear justice from God; they also should fear justice from the legal authorities of the land. God’s repayment may be in this life time in the troubles and justice they face here. But repayment will certainly happen at the end of this earth, when Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels. He will take vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel. They will be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.
Consider more about the justice of God. Romans 2:6-11 God, “who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds’: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness — indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.” If you patiently continue in doing good in following Jesus, you will receive glory, honor, peace and immortality (eternal life). For those who do evil, they will receive God’s indignation and wrath in tribulation and anguish.
Remember the story that Jesus told about the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). The rich man had everything that he could want, but the beggar, named Lazarus, was full of sores and laid at his gate desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. They both died and the beggar went to be with Abraham and the rich man was in a place of torment. He wanted Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue for he was in torment in the flame. Luke 16:25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.” This story teaches us that justice will be served in the end. Galatians 6:7-9 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” I don’t want to imply that you or I earn eternal life; it is a gift of God. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Even so, do not grow weary in doing good and sowing to the Spirit; in due time you will reap everlasting life if you do not lose heart.
You work for God now; later you will receive a rest. Hebrews 4:9-11 “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” Revelation 14:13 “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’”
So don’t give up your life of righteous service to God. God is just and will make things right for everyone in the end. Hebrews 6:10 “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” God will not forget what any one of us do in this life.