The Sufferings 

But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. (Hebrews 10: 32 to 36) 

Oftentimes, we wonder why we need to suffer because in the Bible, Jesus clearly states as below. 

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11: 28) 

Then Jesus states next as below. 

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11: 29 30) 

So, to find rest for our souls, we need to carry his yoke and burden. Yet, what are Christ’s yoke and burden? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ taught us a lot about love and conscience. Especially, for the love, such as, 

But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles (Matthew 5: 39 to 41) 

Furthermore, in the Beatitudes, all the blessings endure some misfortune and atrocities, even persecutions. If they are the yoke and burden of Christ, then will we really find rest for our souls by carrying them? Then it’s described in the Bible below. 

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. (First Peter 4: 1 2) 

The thing that haunted us the most is sin. If suffering in the flesh could cease that, then that is a true rest for our souls. It is also described in the Bible as below. 

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 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: 1 to 5) 

Suffering by itself won’t give us rest. However, suffering in faith could be as illustrated in the Bible in details below. 

For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. (Second Corinthians 6: 2 to 10) 

Even though we may endure unbearable sufferings, faith would help us to enter the unshakable rest in souls. Furthermore, if we are suffering for Christ’s church then we are fulfilling an even greater ministry for God as described below. 

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (Colossians 1: 24 to 29) 

This is the utmost reward we could achieve through suffering. Emmanuel. 

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