Paul suffered for righteousness. In 2 Cor. 11:23-28 we get a glimpse of the kind of suffering he endured. I doubt any of us as coddled Americans could bear up under his suffering. There are Christians all around the world at this very moment suffering for loving Jesus. They suffer for refusing to bow the knee to false gods and idols. They suffer for righteousness sake!
History tells us that certain Presidents and Kings and Queens have suffered for the sake of doing what is right rather than what is socially acceptable. Many of them have reaped a harvest of suffering in circumstances for doing something that is a good and God-honoring thing to do.
My husband once lost a job for doing what was right, and our whole family suffered for that! I was never more honored to be his wife than that day, knowing that his unbending ethics were the reason he was dismissed from his position.
You may know that owning up to a mistake or your fault in an accident may bring suffering- perhaps a larger fine, a loss of license or something, increase in insurance premiums.
A spouse who is married to an unbeliever also may be suffering for the sake of righteousness. Often these marriages are difficult and full of discord. In 1 Cor 7:10 and following Paul instructs believers yo remain married, even if it is to an unbeliever. In 1 Peter 3 men and women married to unbelievers are instructed how they may display their regenerated life in Christ to their unsaved spouse without constantly badgering them.
There are certain kinds of suffering that go along with an unequally yoked marriage. There is sometimes little fellowship between the couple, except on the superficial plane. The believing spouse keeps an aspect of their life separate from the unbeliever; there is no unity in such a marriage on the deepest level. The one relationship in your life that is to make two people one in every way has a huge gaping division in the middle of it. This is true suffering.
Source: about-world-religions.blogspot.com
