Co-heirs—co-sufferers—co-glorified with Christ—that is really the word here. We are side by side with Christ. We are sons of God, even as He is the Son of God—not in His eternal Sonship, but in the place He took in grace as Man, and which He brings those into who believe in Him; as He said to Mary, “I ascend to my Father, and your Father, to my God, and your God.” The Holy Spirit comes down, to give us the sense, and knowledge, that we are co-heirs, co-sufferers, and that we shall be co-glorified with Him.
~ W.T.P. Wolton
So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
~ paul, The Least of The Apostles, in Romans 8
Oh beloved, it is true. We are the very sons of The Father, and we are brothers and sisters to The Son. And, in Him, we have inherited all things. And, our problem though, is that we do not understand the breadth and depth of the inheritance.
There is too much of us in the way.
Christ died to save us, not from suffering, but from ourselves; not from injustice, far less than justice, but from being unjust. He died that we might live—but live as he lives, by dying as he died who died to himself.
~George Macdonald (1824-1905)
There is a truth within the Gospel that gives us a clue. We know that we died with Christ in His death. And we know that we are filling up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ. Oh, it is not that the sufferings Jesus went through were inadequate.
Far from it, His suffering was so large that we have the opportunity to carry the Love that drove that suffering to those who suffer. It was so large, so immense, that it has the potential to be presented to the rest of the world – through us.
And it is here where we completely miss both the Gospel and what Love really is.
We have a great lust for the things that will bring us pleasure. And have no doubt, there will be pleasures at His right hand forevermore. Even now, we are subject to deeper joy and higher happiness than we ever thought possible. We have a wonderful life.
But, there are deeper joys than just this life, for to know Him is an eternal thing. It is Love, not desire that takes us to the next place. We know that to really live His Life requires that we live His life – and that includes a complete giving away of who we are, that He might have complete preeminence in us and through us.
Can we see it? It is simple, but so deep that it is difficult to see to the bottom of this ocean. Our suffering is not about getting through it. Our suffering is that we are becoming like Him. The ‘me’ in me is dying.
We are becoming like Jesus, who said, “I only do what the Father is doing.” “I do nothing in my own authority.” “I only say what the Father is saying.” And when we do, the world will hate us. But, even worse, our flesh will scream at the murder His bloody work is doing on our egos.
Oh, fear not. This suffering has a glorious end. For, at the end of our flesh, is the beginning of our spiritual inner man, who will never die – and whose being is really the only part of us that can actually experience the exquisite pleasures of the ages to come.
So, are you looking towards the pleasure of your coming inheritance in The Kingdom of Heaven? You should. It is going to be glorious beyond measure. And, the sufferings of this life are not to “keep you in line” until that Day. No, the sufferings are a grace all to themselves. The suffering is doing the work necessary to make us even able to receive and show the glory we will find in forever.
Tonight is your night beloved, time to embrace your suffering.
Be daring. None of us have a long time to live. Again, what years we have, let us live them with God. If there is any suffering, it will be sweet, even pleasant, while we are with Him. And brother, without Him the greatest pleasure you could ever have would be but anguish.
~Brother Lawrence of The Resurrection
