2 Corinthians 4:6-10 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Troubled on every side, stressed out, perplexed, persecuted, and cast down are just a few of the things that we as disciples of Christ must suffer. We are not, in the flesh, able to withstand all that is placed upon us. We can only bear up under the weight of all that because of He who is in us. It is not we ourselves.

Psalm 12:5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

Psalm 121:1-3 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Ephesians 4:14-15 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 

Acts 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

Here we are trying to grow in Christ and comparing our spiritual growth with bodily growth. As we grow we suffer both physical and emotional pain in growth. Did you expect spiritual growth to be different?

1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Here at the end of that section of 1 Corinthians 13 that describes how love behaves in us is this profound statement. If you are going to grow in Christ then the joy of childhood in the spirit must also grow and put away the childish naïveté and accept the responsibilities that come with growth in Christ.

When I came to Christ, as many do, it was to escape pain. The life I had left caused me pain, caused others pain, and coming to Christ was a great relief. The last thing I wanted was to suffer. I just wanted to be fat, dumb and happy. As a parent, I would never want that for my child, nor does God want that for us. God does not raise up pew potatoes.

Even before Christ went to the Cross He warned His disciples what they would be in for by following Him.

Matthew 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

Luke 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

It would be wrong of me not to follow His example and tell you exactly what you are getting yourself into by becoming a disciple of Christ.