Acts 9:16

“For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

Who wants this? Who wants God to have this vision of your life? Who wants to know that they are going to suffer much for the sake of the Gospel? Who wants that job? No one does! Maybe that is why God chooses. It’s quite possible that we are going to have to trust God sometimes as we endure trials of suffering in our life and have comfort to know that it is for His glory. I am not going to say that you are going to understand it…but you will have to endure it. I know that isn’t comforting but know this…that you will discover a depth with God few will ever know…maybe now it makes sense that when we read…

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

God said he would show him how much he would have to suffer…but in suffering Saul found strength, hope, love, mercy, grace, and compassion. Paul suffered…but his suffering would later produce some of the greatest writings of the New Testament and ultimately lead him to take the Gospel where many feared to go!