The Lord knows our struggles.

The apostle Paul talks about sharing in Christ’s sufferings, wanting to know him and the power of his resurrection, “10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” (Philippians 3:10). Somehow, suffering can transport us into the throne room of God, where we feel the tenderness of his embrace, a sense of joy, and a fellowship unlike anything. For a moment, an awareness of his presence can so completely overshadow our pain that we become immersed in fellowship with Jesus. Jesus fully understands us and wants to comfort us in times of suffering.

As we share in Christ’s sufferings, we also share in his comfort, “5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge”, (2 Corinthians 1:5). The more we share in Jesus’s sufferings, the more we understand the power of his resurrection, and the more we can see his glory. Suffering can open our eyes to God’s glory. If you are in a season of deep pain and loss, you have a particular opportunity to know the Lord Jesus more deeply. To know Him by experience and not just academically. While we can know more about Jesus through Bible study, small groups, and sermons, some of the richest dimensions of our relationship with Him will be forged through suffering. That relationship bound through sorrow offers not only comfort and communion, but also a glimpse of glory that will transform our faith, make us more like Him, and prepare us for the unspeakable glories that await in eternity.

In Christ,

Pastor David