Suffering for the World or Suffering for Christ? 
When I first became a Christian and heard about suffering for Christ, it made perfect intellectual sense. Since Christ suffered for me it was only natural that I would suffer for Him in my pursuit of His likeness. Of course, when I first came across this concept, I wasn’t doing much for God, therefore wasn’t experiencing God on any relevant level. I certainly was not suffering for His son while in the throws of my new found faith.
But, it was when this concept of suffering for Christ became a personal reality that my intellectual acceptance flew out the window and my personal commitment to Christ really began. It was where the rubber of my Christian walk met the road.
As I grow in my maturity as a Christian, as I grow in my service to the Lord, I have discovered that suffering is just apart of who I am in Christ and have come to embrace it. Suffering is the anvil upon which our strength of character is forged, it is the steel that hones the blade of our faith; it is the field upon which the seed of our perseverance is sown and harvested.
Christian suffering is not a great inducement for secular society to embrace Christianity; it is not a characteristic of Christianity that would be found attractive to the unbeliever. But I have suffered plenty before I accepted Christ and I experience times when I suffer today.
The difference is that suffering for the world doesn’t change you; it is just suffering for the sake of suffering. Suffering for Christ is life changing.
God doesn’t cause us to suffer. He allows our sinful behavior to humble us. He allows our sinful behavior to put us in a place of desperation where He can speak to our hearts without who we are getting in the way. He allows us to be tempted and to struggle with our faith to strengthen us, to teach us perseverance and total reliance on Him. And when we conquer adversity through total reliance on Him, God is glorified and we are further fortified and strengthened for greater service.
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. —Psalms 30:5, NIV
From the depths of our desperation Christ Jesus speaks to our hearts. He proves to us that in times of trouble, that in times of great hopelessness, that in times of great loss, that He loves us, that He strengthens us, and that He will clothe us in victory for our faith and dependence upon Him.
Yes, I embrace adversity; I just haven’t grown to the point of rejoicing in it. I know that in the desperate times that God not only reveals my character but He also reveals His character.
All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. —2Thessalonians 1:5, NIV
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