There are multiple ways I have seen my suffering result in a maturation of my faith, making me a more complete Christian. These will be the topic of the next several devotionals.
We are joined with Christ in our suffering. We can never know the degree of suffering Christ knew when he died for our sins, but our experience provides some understanding of his sacrifice for us. That draws us closer to Him and deepens our gratitude for His suffering on our behalf. When Jesus said in John 16:33 “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world,” he was saying this to his disciples the night before his crucifixion, giving them, and us, the hope of our salva*on through His death on the cross. But this verse also implies that our troubles unite us with Christ, telling us that we not only will share in His suffering, but we will also share in His victory over suffering and death when he takes us to heaven. This verse was oLen on my mind during my affliction.
