Empowered Suffering
We are called to suffer for the Gospel. Paul calls it "suffer," but really, God's Kingdom has a different vocabulary which often has meanings exactly opposite from how the world defines words and terms. Like suffer . Suffering for the Kingdom is always an empowered suffering. "Join me in suffering for the (Life of Jesus) Gospel, by God's power," [2 Tim.1.8]. Suffering is Power! Suffering means being empowered. The less you suffer in your Christian life, the less you are empowered. You ask God in prayer to take away all your hardships, the more powerless you become. This does not mean. however, that you ask God to pour you tons of problems. Remember Jesus' tip on prayer? "Don't lead us to temptation (or tests), but get us out of evil." For sure, we will all get our share of hardships in life. But some would opt out and pray to be spared of every problem. Sometimes they get an answered prayer and think they're so ble