Colossians 1:24. "Who now rejoice in my suffering for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:" JOY IN SUFFERING. Not everyone is called to suffer in the same way some others do. God knows His people individually; He knows them through and through. One may be able to physically endure, what another may not be able to take. He suits each one by the gifts He gives, that each one a difference makes.
Physical sufferings are one thing; emotional sufferings are another. Men may be able to go through this one; emotional suffering is best known by a mother. When God called us by His Gospel and saved us by His grace; He gave us the power of the Holy Spirit that we might endure by faith.
Christ suffered while here in the world when He was troubled in His soul. He looked ahead to the cross on Calvary, and beyond it, to the final goal; Where He would see the result of the travail of His soul and would be satisfied. He suffered in His soul even before He went to the cross and died.
The betrayal by Judas was one time when we read, He was troubled in spirit. As He looked into the future of that pitiful man, He knew He would have to endure it. Even as the betrayer would go out into perdition; He would go into the darkness; As His spirit cried out in that terrible place, He suffered hell's pains for us.
On the cross, the Lord was troubled in His body, as physical pain came on Him.
A lacerated back; piercing thorns in His head; nails - He suffered through them. How could this bring joy? What does that word mean, when applied to suffering like this? He saw up ahead after He would rise from the dead, a grateful people uniquely His.
There will doubtless be times as we move through our life when we will be called to suffer. Of whatever kind of suffering that comes, there will come a time when our trouble is over. Perhaps we will look back at those things we passed through, and realize we were not alone. The tribulations in life and any suffering will seem small when all of the saints get home.
"Father, I have not been called so far, to much physical suffering for the kingdom of God's sake. Some have and still are. Give them strength for today. There have been other kinds I have experienced more, but I thank Thee for Thy acceptance when others rejected me for maintaining my balance when my integrity was challenged; for giving me rest when events normally would have made me bitter. I thank Thee again, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."