Rejoice In Our Adversities

 None of us want to suffer. Often we actively resist suffering, and sometimes we view it as correction or punishment from God, especially if it is a fellow believer who is suffering! 
 Christians are not only called to trust in the Lord Jesus for salvation but also to be ready to suffer for His name's sake. As we go through life, we are even called to Rejoice In Our Adversities, knowing that adversity and suffering works endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.
 We live in a fallen world where sin, sorrow, pain, and death is the portion of all. We live in a world where the vast majority of people are dead in their trespasses and sins, at intense hostility with God, and have willingly rejected His gracious offer of salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 Suffering turns into a blessing, when we realize that we are being identified with Him and we are favored by the Father if we suffer for righteousness' sake: "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake," are Christ's astonishing and comforting words. Let us remember that if we are willing to suffer for Him, we have the immense joy of reigning with him in heaven.
But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”

Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we know that in this world we will have tribulation and troubles as  children of God. We pray that we would not be fearful but trust in You. We pray that these words of Jesus would sink deep into our hearts in whatever situations we find ourselves in: "In the world you will have tribulation but take courage; we have overcome the world." In Jesus' name, AMEN.