If God is good, why is there suffering?  How could a loving God desire that His only Son be nailed to a cross?  Why does God similarly have us suffer as Christians?  We’re going to answer this today.   In Romans 8:17 God says that we are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him“ (bolded for emphasis by me)  Let’s flip this around backwards to see if we can better understand what is being said.  In order that we may also be glorified with him, we must suffer with him.  So then, there is a very apparent implication that as true Christians, children of God, we should suffer with Christ.  

The glory of God was perfectly manifested in the suffering, conquering servant Jesus Christ.  Therefore, if we call ourselves followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, looking forward to the riches of our inheritance through him (our glorification), then our lives should look similar to the life of Christ in suffering.  We may not be martyred as Christ was, but our desire for God and His kingdom building should be great enough that it pushes beyond what is comfortable.  Our faith in the promises of God should embolden us to live sacrificially.  This is difficult.  Everything in our flesh and the outside world is going the opposite direction, telling you that you should be happy with posessions and physical comfort.  What happens when reject those lies to pursue Christ?  When we do this is that we draw closer to God, we are sowing to the Spirit of God, and in due time we will reap what we sow.  What are we reaping?  Galatians 6:7-8 – “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”