Beloved of God

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together (Romans 8:17)

Suffering, or rather enduring it, for the cause of Christ is proof of genuine Christianity. Suffering alone is not proof because all of mankind suffers. Enduring suffering is not proof because there are a lot of non-Christians who endure suffering. Enduring suffering for the cause of Christ shows you are unashamed to acknowledge your belief in/relationship with Him.

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven (Matthew 10:32-33)

For those who may believe that God doesn’t care about, sympathize with, or understand our suffering, hear this: God does care.

For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard (Psalms 22:24)

Someone cannot sympathize or understand a life they haven’t lived themselves but…

[Christ] who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:6, 7-WEB)

Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted (Hebrews 2:17, 18-WEB)

Christ denied himself his spiritual body that he might be able to renew our relationship to God through his death and resurrection. Christ denied himself his spiritual body to take on ours that he might be able to sympathize with and understand us.

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15)

Everything I go through - the good, the bad, and the ugly - is for God’s glory. I secretly (yeah, right) thought God was stuck on Himself, but He has every right to be because He’s God. I think I heard Dr. Tony Evans say that when you buy a toaster you expect it to perform the way it was designed to and toast your bread. It was created to serve your purpose. I know it’s a bit off-the-wall being compared to a toaster but that’s as good as it’s gonna get. I was created to serve God…for His glory, for His purpose.

*World English Bible (WEB)