If You Are Truly One of Christ’s Own, Then You WILL SUFFER!!!There is something wrong if you have not, are not suffering at a certain level.

People will do you wrong, even those who are supposed to love you the most. They will take from you, you will be under pressure,

When injustice is done to you, it does not give you the right to lash out, get even, or look for payback. If we are truly His own, then eventually we will realize we are undergoing a testing of our faith, and if postured according to scripture, realize that in our weakness, vulnerability, this is when He is strong. We do not lean on our own strength, we have to be utterly dependant on Jesus, abiding in Him, Him in us, and His word abiding in us.

And then we will grow in maturity in His character.

Romans 5:3 & 4

3 Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us EXULT and TRUIMPH in OUR TROUBLES and REJOICE in OUR SUFFERINGS, knowing that PRESSURE and AFFLICTION and HARDSHIP PRODUCE patient and unswerving endurance.

4 And ENDURANCE (fortitude) develops “””””MATURITY of CHARACTER””””” (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.

The maturity of Character written about in verse 4, is the character of Christ, which is the fruit of the Spirit.

　

　

　

Romans 8:16-18

16 The Spirit Himself [thus] testifies together with our own spirit, [assuring us] that we are children of God.

17 And “””IF””” WE ARE [His] CHILDREN, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; ONLY WE MUST SHARE HIS SUFFERING “”IF”” we are to share His glory.

18[But what of that?] For I consider THAT THE SUFFERINGS OF THIS PRESENT TIME (this present life) are NOT WORTH BEING COMPARED WITH THE GLORY that IS ABOUT TO BE REVEALED TO US and IN US and FOR US and conferred on us!

Verse 18 reminds us of the scripture in Philippians 3

20 For OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN, from which WE ALSO EAGERLY WAIT FOR THE SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST. 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

　

We are not supposed to be drawn to the things of this world. In this world we will and are “”supposed to suffer”” and have hardships, we are supposed to look forward to our heavenly home with Jesus, where this is no more suffering or hardships. That is our true home, we are only here temporarily, and we do not live for what this world has to offer, our goal is our home with Jesus. And while we are here, only what we do for Him will last.

　

Jesus told us, to deny ourselves and pick up our crosses and follow Him. Do we think we are supposed to ignore DENYING ourselves, or the fact that we are picking up our crosses, which means suffering and death, and just play follow the leader? Most of us only want to walk like He did only in the miracles and power moves He walked in. We forget about the suffering, and the self sacrificial way He walked here on earth, in obedience unto death.

　

Romans 12:11-13

1 1 Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord.

12 Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer.

1 Corinthians 6:7

Why, the very fact of your having lawsuits with one another at all is a defect (a defeat, an evidence of positive moral loss for you). WHY NOT RATHER LET YOURSELVES SUFFER WRONG AND BE DEPRIVED OF WHAT IS YOUR DUE? WHY NOT rather BE CHEATED (defrauded and robbed)?

We have absorbed the worlds thinking. We are not supposed to be concerned about the treasures of this world, and we are not supposed to fret about someone doing us wrong, or cheating us out of what belongs to us. What happened to turn the other cheek, or if someone takes your tunic, give them your jacket too.

　

1 Corinthians 13:5

It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us)DOES NOT INSIST ON ITS OWN RIGHTS OR ITS OWN WAY, for IT IS NOT SELF-SEEKING; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful;”””””” IT TAKES NO ACCOUNT OF THE EVIL DONE TO IT””””” [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

We are not supposed to keep tallies or keep record of the things done wrong to us. I am not saying it is easy to do, it is a real wrestling with our flesh, just to yield to the Holy Spirit’s leading in this, and through reading the scriptures. But we don’t have to rely on our own strength, because in our weakness, Jesus is made strong, when we are weak, then He is strong, if we learn to lean, totally rely on His strength, through the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 1:29

For you HAVE BEEN GRANTED [the privilege] for Christ’s sake NOT ONLY TO BELIEVE IN(adhere to, rely on, and trust in) Him, BUT ALSO TO SUFFER IN HIS BEHALF.

To mature in Christ our posture should be to praise Him, even in the suffering, even in the hardships. Still trusting in the unseen that is everlasting, walking by faith and not by sight.

2 Timothy 2:3

Take [with me] YOUR SHARE OF THE HARDSHIPS AND SUFFERING [which YOU ARE CALLED TO ENDURE] as “”” a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus.””

As Jesus Christ’s own beloved bride, we are all called to suffer, we are supposed to suffer. And individually our suffering isn’t necessarily the same. It is customized to the refining that we all uniquely need for our calling and for our conforming to the character of our Lord Jesus.

1 Peter 5:10

And AFTER YOU HAVE SUFFERED A LITTLE WHILE, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, WILL HIMSELF COMPLETE AND MAKE YOU WHAT YOU OUGHT TO BE, ESTABLISH AND GROUND YOU SECURELY, and strengthen, and settle you.