I was not prepared for the toll that truly following Jesus would take. And I am not alone.

Just read this post I wrote about the difficulty of being a pastor. It struck a nerve! Hundreds of pastors wrote to me saying, “Me too!”

If you truly follow Jesus, you will suffer. Whether in a paid ministry position or not, all Christians will feel this struggle if they attempt to actually live the way Jesus calls us to live.

There is no greater message than the Gospel—no greater cause than Christ.

You are committing your life to the only thing that will matter for all eternity, but there are still days you question if you can keep going.

Why are so many of us shocked when following Jesus becomes difficult?

Jesus never called us to a life that was easy. Show me one person in the Bible who didn’t struggle.

Somewhere along the way, we have bought into a false gospel of peace and prosperity.

We need a better theology of suffering.

What Does The Bible Say About Suffering?

If we read the Bible, we shouldn’t be surprised when anyone who follows Jesus wholeheartedly experiences difficulty.

1. Jesus Said We Will Suffer

Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, emphasis mine).

Jesus doesn’t say, “you might have some trouble.” He guarantees trouble.

In fact, Jesus warned to all who would follow him to count the cost:

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’ (Luke 14:26-30).

How many people have stopped believing in God at the first sign of trouble? How many pastors have dropped out of ministry because they never counted the significant cost required to finish?

They were never ready to pay that high a price.

Why do we not hear more sermons on this passage?

The ultimate call to follow Christ is a call to die.

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? (Luke 9:23-25).

You must be willing to die to yourself. Die to your personal comforts. Die to your selfish ambitions. And yes, be willing to die physically if it comes to that!

Jesus doesn’t call us to pick up our “American Dream” of success and prosperity. He calls us to pick up our cross.

Jesus flat-out says, “you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mark 13:13).

Paul sums it up, “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Suffering for Christ is inevitable, but the reward is far greater than the cost.

2. When We Suffer, We Share In Jesus’ Suffering

Jesus was the ultimate suffering servant. He suffered and sacrificed his life so that we may have eternal life.

If we want to truly follow Jesus, we should not be surprised when we share in his suffering.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed  (1 Peter 3:12-13).

Just as we share in the life of Christ, we also share in his death.

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).

Paul says he counts everything in life worthless compared to knowing Christ. Therefore, he gladly shares in Christ’s suffering so that he may also share in Christ’s resurrection.

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:7-11).

Just as we share in Christ’s suffering, we also share in God’s comfort.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

Christians can joyfully suffer because we are honored to share in suffering with our savior. And we also know that like Jesus, suffering is not the end of the story.

3. Suffering Sanctifies Us (Makes Us More Like Jesus)

As we share in Christ’s suffering, we become more like him.

Suffering will either make or break your faith. Fully devoted Christians can rejoice in suffering is because we know that it only makes our faith stronger.

Paul says that suffering builds endurance, character, and hope in us.

we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

Paul was no stranger to affliction. He pleaded for God to take a problem away from him. God’s response is profound: His power is perfected in our weakness when we have to rely on God most.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:8-10).

Peter says that suffering is like a furnace that tests our faith. When we persevere in suffering, we come out stronger and more pure on the other side.

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:6-7).

James echo’s Peter and Paul, saying that suffering helps us become complete.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4).

Therefore, we should rejoice in suffering as it sanctifies us – making us more and more like Christ.

As the great theologian Kelly Clarkson once said, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

4. Suffering is Temporary; The Reward Is Eternal

If you are a Christian, this life is the closest to Hell you will ever get. There will be no more suffering in Heaven.

The Lord “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

Although our suffering may last months, years, or a lifetime, it is nothing when compared to an eternity in Heaven.

Paul writes, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).

James writes, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him (James 1:12)

Paul also writes, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

You will encounter spiritual warfare. When you enlist to follow Jesus, you are going to war with the enemy. Satan will do whatever he can to distract, disqualify, disillusion, or destroy you. But we resist, knowing the eternal glory awaiting us.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you (1 Peter 5:8-10).

We can be confident that we will be rewarded for suffering well, because Jesus promises, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10).

Conclusion

It is time for us to get a better theology of suffering. Let’s prepare ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Christ to count the cost and prepare for the endurance it takes to follow Jesus.