Philippians 3:10
10 that I may know
Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings,
being conformed to His death;
We have been looking at the phrase, “the fellowship of His
sufferings.” One of the great passages
related to Jesus’ sufferings is found right after the soldiers come to get Him
in the
John 18:11
11 So Jesus said to
Peter, "Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has
given Me, shall I not drink it?"
God had a “cup” that Jesus was to drink – the suffering and spiritual death on the Cross. While we will never know the same suffering that He did on the Cross, God has designed a cup for each of us to drink.
You must understand that the adversities and afflictions we go through are what make up our life. There are times you will have to go through adversity all by yourself. It can be a time of great blessings, because you are able to go through it alone with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lamentations 3:27-28
27 It is good for a
man that he should bear
The
yoke in his youth.
28 Let him sit alone
and be silent
Since He (God)
has laid it on him.
The apostle Paul is a great example of suffering. The Lord makes a very interesting statement about Paul just after his conversion:
Acts
16 for I will show
him how much he must suffer for My name's sake."
Paul describes many of those sufferings in 2 Corinthians:
2 Corinthians
11:23-28
23 Are they servants
of Christ? -- I speak as if insane -- I more so; in far more labors,
in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of
death.
24 Five times I
received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.
25 Three times I was
beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was
shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.
26 I have been on
frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from
my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the
wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;
27 I have been in
labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often
without food, in cold and exposure.
28 Apart from such
external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the
churches.
Ouch! But even with all that Paul went through, look at his attitude:
Philippians 4:11
11
Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever
circumstances I am.
1
Timothy 1:16
16 Yet for this
reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might
demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would
believe in Him for eternal life.
Paul recognized one of the greatest benefits in suffering. When you go through something, and learn how to handle it based on the Word of God, then you will be able to help someone else when they go through the same thing:
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
3 Blessed be the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all
comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort
those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are
comforted by God.
As you continue to grow and face tragedies and difficulties, concentrate on the lessons you learn, on remembering how God handles it for you and pulls you through it, and on how you can now help someone else out.
When you recognize the benefits to suffering, you can have this same attitude:
Romans 5:3-4
3 And not only this,
but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings
about perseverance;
4 and perseverance,
proven character; and proven character, hope;