“But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”
1 Peter 4:13 (NIV)
“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death..”
Philippians 3:10 (NIV)
Suffering is not a popular topic in Sunday sermons. No one looks for suffering but when life brings it, the answers are found in the inspired teaching and examples of Peter and Paul. They both spoke so much about participating in Christ’s suffering.
Some churches ignore the cross and exalt the achievements preferred by our current culture. The world celebrates recognition, fame, wealth, health, talent, athletic skill and physical beauty as the goalposts of success. We can become so conformed to the world’s signs of success, that we interpret any kind of suffering as failure.
Jesus said His peace is not the kind the world offers, and it’s not found by conforming to the world’s standards, but by allowing God to transform our minds. People are enthused with parades, fireworks, and victory celebrations, but Heaven knows that the real triumph is at the cross, where our final atonement was achieved. Jesus was more powerful in His suffering on the cross than in the celebration of Hosannas at His entry into Jerusalem.
The ministry of Paul was so anointed that when his handkerchief was taken to the sick, their illnesses were cured. That is resurrection power, but the cross has to precede the resurrection.
Peter and Paul both had ministries of healing and miracles, but they also suffered continually with hardships, afflictions, beatings and many kinds of persecution. They had a cross to carry but their suffering did not destroy them, it empowered them.
Therefore, our lives as believers will include this odd combination of suffering and resurrection power. Jesus didn’t tell us to take up His resurrection and follow Him, He told us to take up our cross and follow Him. (Matthew 16:24)
He knew that everyone who follows Him, will have a cross to carry, and resurrection power follows the cross. Jesus is closely connected to us when we suffer, whether physically, emotionally or spiritually.
My life has had several events that felt like mini deaths, followed by mini resurrections, but in each of these cycles, God helped me to better identify with Christ, and He with me.
Once we accept that every believer will carry a cross of some kind, yet still live in the resurrection power of Jesus, we don’t have to fear the many storms of life. To live in His resurrection power means that instead of fearing the storm, we can become the storm that makes Hell tremble.
It’s about knowing who we really are in Christ. “It is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
(Romans 8:16-17)
Since we are fellow heirs with Christ, God’s love for us casts out all fear, and His cross and resurrection has permanently disarmed the devil. It may not feel like it in the moment, but in whatever we are suffering, Jesus is drawing us closer to Himself, and a resurrection victory is coming.
Jesus, reveal to us the value of sharing in your suffering, so that we may share in your resurrection power and be more than conquerors through you, who are the Lord of all. Amen