Totally worth it. He promises.

"the sufferings of this present time"

Romans 8:18

So.  Suffering.  Can I get you some?

Oh, you've got some already.

Yeah, I figured.  'most everybody does.

As a matter of fact, I think the only people who don't have some suffering are the ones who simply refuse to see it as suffering.

Those people just call it "life".

Here is a sampling, from the past week, of the struggles being experienced by people around me, either spoken about directly to me, or someone else happened to mention it:

• A friend whose luxury car was not performing, in one area, the way it was advertised it would.

• A friend who underwent 6-hour breast cancer surgery.

• A friend who sat at the hospital while her mother underwent 6-hour breast cancer surgery.

• A friend who wishes her job were more interesting.

• A friend who got a haircut and didn't like the result.

• A friend complaining about her husband.

• A friend who had to wait in a long line, in the sun, for something she wanted.

• A friend being told she could not do something she felt she was entitled to do.

• A friend who felt he deserved better.

• A friend who wanted more than he had.

These circumstances brought varying degrees of misery or discomfort to the people who were experiencing them.  And not all of these people were complaining about their circumstances.  Some of them were, though.

The friend with the luxury car figured out the problem and fixed it himself.

The friend who underwent the 6-hour surgery didn't complain, either before or after the surgery.  She didn't complain during the operation either, but then, she was unconscious...

It's all about perspective, really.  What is the suffering for?  Did you sign up for it?  Is it better than the alternative?

Is it worth it?

That's the difference.  Is it worth it. 

Owning a luxury car that inconveniences you once in awhile?  Probably worth it.

Standing in the sun for something you really want?  Most likely worth it.

Six hours of surgery to rid yourself of cancer?   Worth it.

Someone once said, "We can stand anything as long as we know it isn't permanent."   I read that when I was a child, and I've often thought how true it is.  I have a friend who was a U.S. Marine, and he once told me that often they had to go on long runs, and the worst of those runs was when they didn't know the duration beforehand. 

And no one appreciates the temporary nature of earth more than Christians.  'Cause we're just passing through.  We are citizens of heaven.  And He has promised that any suffering we endure will pale in comparison to the glory that awaits us. 

So whatever it is we're suffering through, big or small, we have to remember it's only temporary ~ even if it's lifelong.  There's something better waiting for you.

And it's totally worth it.

~ "the sufferings of this present time

are not worthy to be compared

with the glory which shall be revealed in us" ~

Romans 8:18