The Fellowship and Glory of Suffering

This morning I was meditating on these words of Jesus found in John 13:31-32 NIV:

[31] "When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. [32] If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once."

If one removed these lines from their context (the Last Supper) one would think that God was going to do something awesome for Jesus, like reveal Him to the world, or maybe announce Him as the Son of God that all people would know Him and love Him and serve Him. Maybe in glorifying Him, God would establish Him as the King over all. Whatever it was, it would bring Him glory!

What threw everyone for a loop was that this path to glorification lead Jesus straight into persecution, false witnesses, beatings and floggings and ultimately death on the cross! Jesus knew exactly what that path entailed yet chose the path of complete obedience. He understood that His path to glory required the shedding of His blood and the near destruction of His Body.

I was thinking about Paul's statement in his letter to the Philippians 3:10: "I want to know Christ---yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,...". I have read that verse many times, and have thought Paul crazy for saying He wanted to know Him through participation in His sufferings. I mean, who would choose that? The brief answer is that Jesus chose that, for Love of us.

I was thinking about all this in light of my two nephews who are presently going through Chemo treatments for the cancer that they have in their bodies. I have a bit of the summer crud, feeling a little crappy, and I think I am suffering. They, on the other hand, ache deep in their bones, have lost their hair, suffer nausea, weakness, fatigue and sometimes despair. As I read these verses from Jesus and Paul, I realize a few things:

1. They have and are experiencing some suffering that is in line with what Christ suffered, and thus know Him in a way I have yet to understand or experience for myself. They have chosen to undergo suffering and pain to rid from their lives this evil sickness and its effects, and Jesus did the same, choosing to go through immense suffering and pain to rid us all of the effects of sin.

2. The Lord is able to take the most terrible things in life and bring about Glory! He goes through the final days of His life, suffering and being rejected, yet in the end He is glorified by His Father in the sight of men. In the same way, God is able to bring about immense good through the lives of Joe and Marcos, for He is capable of redeeming us from even the darkest hours of our life.

So to those who are suffering, and those supporting them through this time, I offer this encouragement. Jesus has walked down very similar paths and He understands well where you are, and what You are feeling. He chose to go there out of Love for us all. Let Him speak to you and comfort you. He is capable of bringing Glory to His name, and giving you glory as well.