The Kindness of this Present, Momentary Suffering?

"the FELLOWSHIP of His sufferings"

(Phil. 3: 10)

1. The REALITY of Suffering.

2. The REVELATION of Suffering.

3. The REWARD for Suffering.

4. The GIFT of Suffering.

5. The GUIDANCE of Suffering.

6. The GOOD that comes from Suffering.

7. The FRUSTRATION of Suffering.

8. The FELLOWSHIP of His Suffering.

9. The FRUITFULNESS of Suffering.

10. The CONSEQUENCES of Suffering.

11. The CROSS of Suffering.

12. The CROWN of Suffering.

 As much as we don't like hardships, pain and suffering are the TOOLS God uses to make a man and woman of God to resemble Christ. And none had suffered quite like Christ did on the Cross. So since Christ came into our world of suffering and pain and experienced it like none ever had, ought we not to count it a privilege in some small way to enter... into "the FELLOWSHIP of His sufferings" (Philippians 3:10)? Those who suffer the most, have the most to give to others. The GIFT of suffering helps us to love, understand, and empathize in a deeper level into what our neighbor is suffering. So let us consider this “momentary [and] light affliction” (2 Corinthians 4:17, Darby Trans.) a KINDNESS in this present life, as opposed to the eternal SUFFERING of hell that we so deserve. He suffered the CROSS for our sins so that we might not suffer the CONSEQUENCES of our sins in hell. When He came into our world, man gave Him a Cross; whereas Christ gave HIMSELF. Now that’s amazing Love. May we never forget that!