Rejoice in Suffering

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Col 1:24 “Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.”

I remember when I was 18 years old, a sophomore at our university, I was invited to share a sermon to a small group of Christian students at another university. And I shared about “How to Rejoice in Suffering” expounding the verse above. That was the first sermon I ever preached! And I don’t think they really understood what I was talking about for I myself, didn’t also understand what I was talking that time! Now, 17 years later, I’d like to think that I know more about this subject than that day.

Rejoicing in suffering is not the favorite subject of many tele-evangelists and prosperity preachers today. But Paul here, from his prison cell, told us that he is rejoicing in what he could suffer for Jesus. He is so Christ centred he doesn’t even mention himself or his situation in prison. Everything is focused on Jesus Christ. It is awesome. He had learned through countless difficulties that Jesus was all he needed and that Christ’s strength was made perfect in his own weaknesses. When we are weak, then He is strong!