"WHILE it is natural to associate Christ's suffering solely with His cruel crucifixion and His death on the cross, there were other ways in which He suffered. His own family members often misunderstood Him and and withheld credibility until after His death.
LATER in His ministry, even after He had gained a following and some measure of popularity, most of the religious leaders treated Him with disdain and suspicion. THEY even plotted ways to ruin His ministry and to destroy Him. AT one point, many of His followers turned away and left Him.
AT the most difficult hour of Jesus' life, when hostility and hatred had reached their peak and the cross was before Him, His dearest friends failed Him. He had poured Himself into them for years, but when He most needed their prayer and loving support, they left Him.
FINALLY, He found Himself numbered among criminals as He came to trial and then was crucified.
As Christians, God has called us to suffer, and it is a high and holy CALLING. SUCH suffering binds us to Him.
ARE you suffering TODAY? IS it from loneliness, from misunderstanding or rejection? DID someone very dear to you fail you? DO not rail out against the offender? INSTEAD, embrace the suffering as God's will for you this moment. PRESS close to Him and allow the work of holiness to be perfected in your life." Yvonne Swope
"Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin (1 Peter 4:1)."
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