By Rod Jones

Rom.5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

[4] And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

[5] And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

At first glance, the word tribulation is viewed by many as a time that no one looks forward to experiencing, and is looked upon as an experience that is to be viewed as avoiding at all cost. But as we can see in the verses above, and by the life of the apostle Paul; tribulation and suffering played a huge role in the life of the apostles of the Lord, and they are designed to play a huge part in our sanctified lives as sons and daughters as well. The apostle Paul says that he glories in his tribulations, over and over we see this to be the case. But only the son and daughter in Christ that is operating upon a spiritual mind, and a selfless heart will be able to discern what Paul teachers unto us through the Holy Ghost ministry. In the life of a son and daughter who desires to “live godly” will suffer persecution for Christ’s sake, and what this means is, having a selfless heart as we are taught by the Lord Jesus Christ, and having a spiritual mind, persecution will come our way, and this is where we are to understand that these things we experience they are for Christ’s sake, not ours. This is what it means to have the selfless love of God “shed abroad in our hearts” when our tribulations arise.

Rom.8:14] For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

[15] For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

[16] The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

[17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

[18] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Therefore, the son must understand what it means to be a living sacrifice, and he knows that the “Spiritual things” are the things that he ought to ‘set his affection on’ only. And he knows that his life ought to be “subject” unto and lived based upon only the “Spiritual things” that be of God, not the things of this world. But oftentimes the men of this world “set their affections” on the things of this earth, they “mind earthly things,” but we are taught to “look not at the things which are seen,” but the “things which are not seen.” Those things are the Spiritual things that be of God that concern our inward man only, and notice what Paul says in Romans chapter 15 verse 17, “I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.” And it is because Paul knew the glory that it would bring unto the Father, and he knew that the “Power of Christ” would “rest upon” him in his weakness. We too ought to desire to be a living sacrifice, and not mind earthly things, we are bought with a price, and we too ought to desire to be “a living sacrifice,” and not “mind earthly things,” we are bought with a price, and our “life is hid with Christ in God.” And with this being the case, our sufferings, afflictions, stress of this world, and the like, ought to be “counted” unto us as “light affliction, which is but for a moment,” but they actually “worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 

2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 

Php 3:18 (For many walks, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 

Php 3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 

Moreover, understanding and appreciating that it is not just about the glory we are being given, or reward unto us at the Judgment Seat of Christ, but that it is our Father and the Lord that receives the present glory by our operating by their life, and Word, and selfless love in the sight of men by us to their praise and glory. This is the glory that the apostle Paul endeavored to obtain for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of the ministry, and in the sight of the Father. The apostle Paul knew that when he was weak Christ’s strength was made perfect in his weakness, and that the power of Christ would rest upon him in his sufferings. But it was for Christ’s sake, not his sake, meaning he would DESIRE “to glory in” his tribulations without expecting something in return. He learned what he ought to seek from the Lord, and what the Lord said Paul ought to operate upon; and that is the Lord’s “sufficient” grace. The Apostle Paul could either suffer with a ‘false hope’ of physical deliverance from his sufferings, or he could turn to the doctrine of Christ to strengthen him when he suffered, and found within the scriptures, we too find the “salvation” from our sufferings to strengthen us, and give us the ‘godly peace,’ and eventually we too will desire to glory in our sufferings as well.

2^nd Cor.12:9] And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

[10] Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

[11] I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

And so, it is by our knowledge of “what” the Lord has provided “for us” that we begin to walk in His “Power,” and this Power of the Lord are the “things which are not seen.” We cannot feel this Power, nor will this Power intervene in our physical circumstances, but it is designed by the “Grace” of God to change our way of thinking about our sufferings, and know that “all THINGS work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” And all our sufferings, and tribulations will “work together for good” by operating upon the doctrine of Christ. And this is done by our understanding to “seek those things which are above,” which is the things which benefit our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and our inward man only. Those things are of a Spiritual nature alone, and given for those who are able to discern with a Spiritual mind, and desire with a selfless heart to live and walk in godliness. And they themselves are able to glory when sufferings and tribulations arise in their lives, and they are not expecting God to take away their physical sufferings and tribulations, but they are operating upon His Word of Grace which is “sufficient” in the “enduring of the same sufferings which” Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself suffered for our sakes.

2^nd Cor.1:[5] For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

[6] And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 

Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 

Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.