Accepting the Hardships of Life for Paradise

By Archdeacon Habib Guirgus

Take strength and power and let your heart be filled with the hope kept for you in heaven "consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).

"We suffer with him so we can be glorified also with him" (Acts 17). All this sadness will end and the pain will be swallowed. The sun will rise soon for that day and the new dawn for eternal life. Take strength, dear beloved, with hope and do not let your strength weaken and disaster suppress you "Truly, truly, I say to you; you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy" (John 16:20-22).

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me" (John 14:1)

All the pain in our daily life does not equal a small glimpse from the heavenly glory and when the sun rise for this happy day all the darkness of this life will disappear and we will not remember our suffering and sorrow and pain and crying, it will be happiness forever. When the Jewish people left the land of pain, they did not remember any of their pain or suffering and they took their cymbals and danced happily (cf. Exodus 15). One single look at the glory of Jesus' bright face, will take all the pain of life away, all the suffering and pain do not equal one look at the glorious face of Jesus, so pull your strength and be strong with this promise. Struggle and wait for God, and if you suffer here a little, you will have glory and happiness that do not end. The pain of this life stays only for a short period and there will be an end for this evil. The hour will come, an hour where all the pain and suffering will end and will go away as time passes by. Look at the glory prepared at the heavenly joys. Endure all the pain that you encounter in this life for the glory. Be patient and endure the hardships for Jesus and be aware that the hour of comfort is very soon "therefore we do not be faint-hearted. Though outwardly we are wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us and eternal glory that far outwait them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (II Corinthians 4:16-18).

"Who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kind of trials. This has come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed" (I Peter 1:5-7).

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the spirit of glory and God rests on you" (I Peter 4:12-14).

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12).

"Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs-he wants to please his commanding officers. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crop...if we endure, we will also reign with him if we disown him he will also disown us" (II Timothy 2: 3-6, 12).

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of god that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8: 35-39).