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Embrace Suffering

1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

It is fascinating to me the lengths to which we will go to avoid suffering.  We even go to great measure to make sure those we love avoid suffering.  And yet, it is one of the foremost points of the new testament.  There is so much talk of suffering, it's kind of silly for us to think we can avoid it.  And, what's more, we really shouldn't avoid it at all, according to the scripture.  All of the authors talk about the great outcomes of suffering like joy, peace, grace, and glory.  So why do we run from it?  What is our real fear with suffering?  I believe it has to do with our pride.  If we suffer, we look weak to the world.  Think of all of the different cancer campaigns we see (this is especially close to my heart).  The "be brave" or the "you can't stop me" kinds of messages that are sent.  I know that you're attitude has an affect on your treatment, but honestly, these hurt my heart.  The last thing I would want to say about Jesus on his journey to the cross was that he was weak.  However, I don't think strength is really what Jesus had either.  I believe that Jesus' love for us was so deep that telling his accusers and torturers to stop never even came to his mind.  I think that each one of us crossed his mind while he was beaten beyond recognition and hung on the cross.  Jesus wasn't controlling himself, he was loving us.  Suffering brings us into the presence of Christ in a way that nothing else can.  When we embrace suffering with Jesus, we are able to look on it with his eyes and see suffering with love, just as he did.  I don't want to overcome my circumstances.  Jesus has already done that for me.  I want to meet Jesus in the midst of my suffering because only then can I truly know him.

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