Suffering is not a hindrance to God’s mission. In fact, suffering is the central part of God’s mission. He sent Jesus Christ to suffer and die in order to save sinful human beings. The suffering of Jesus is the evidence of the lethal nature of sin. Jesus alone is the Life because through His suffering and death, He took on Himself the eternal punishment that should be ours. That’s how we are saved from the coming judgment.

Suffering is not the hindrance to the gospel work, either. Paul said in 2 Timothy 1.8-12 that he suffers because he does God’s mission for him as an apostle, preacher, and teacher. Elsewhere, he also wrote that the gospel work was even furthered through his imprisonment.

Christians are called to embrace the reality of suffering with Christlike attitude. We live in a fallen world, and suffering is expected. The world opposes the gospel, and this will mean suffering for Christians. Instead of asking why and falling into self-pity, we are to appreciate our union with Christ even more. We have been united to Christ in His suffering, death, and resurrection.

The gospel strengthens us in suffering because Christ is with us and identities with us in our suffering. It announced the good news that we have been eternally saved from eternal suffering in hell. And, it reminds us of the eternal salvation, and therefore, when we have to suffer for the gospel, we know that it is worth suffering for.