Verse of the Day Philippians 1:29

"For it had been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake"

Hmmm
So God has given suffering to His followers as a gift!
I don't know about you but there is a part of me that wants to say.. um thanks God but just the belief part for now is good I'll take the suffering later
No one likes suffering...so why is it described as a gift?
Well because it is a gift
So far in Philippians Paul has been talking about living for Christ
He understands that there is no other purpose to his life and whether he dies and gets to be with Jesus, or lives and gets to suffer for Jesus both are awesome things in his mind
What is your mindset?
I find myself distracted, in love with some wordly things, and hardly ever rejoicing because I am suffering. But Paul was "hard pressed" between dying and suffering for Christ
So suffering is a gift, but you will truely live with thankfulness for suffering if you are living the way Paul says that "to live IS Christ"
So when was the last time you were thankful for suffering?