Christian Suffering

1. Suffering is a gift of God to his own. "It has been granted (bestowed as a gift) to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake" Phil 1:29

2. It is far better to suffer for Christ's sake than to enjoy fleeting worldly pleasure because there is reward for those who suffer for Christ's sake. "By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He (Moses) considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward" Heb 11:24-26

3. Suffering works in us (christian) virtues that we will not have otherwise. "we rejoice in our sufferings knowing that suffering produces endurance, an endurance produces character, and character produces hope and hope does not put us to shame" Romans 5:3-5

4. Present suffering--of what ever nature--cannot sever us from Christ but will make us savor Christ more if we respond properly to it. "who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.....for i am sure that neither death nor life....will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 8:35-39. "it is good for me that i was afflicted, that i might learn your statutes" Ps 119:71

5. If we suffer the lose of everything but Christ, we have everything in Christ. "everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life" Matt 19:29. A w Tozer said, "he who has God as his one treasure has all things in one"

6. The present suffering are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us. "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" Romans 8:18

7. It is a privilege to suffer for Christ and with Christ since our hope is beyond this life. "Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name" Acts 5:41 "it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will" 1Peter 3:17

So, "count is all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds" James 1:2 for "through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God" Acts 14:22