"No Pain, No Gain!"

Those were the words that greeted us everyday that we walked into the field house for football practice. My coach believed those words and he showed them to be true through his teams that had a winning record for years.

At that time in my spiritual journey I didn't realize that that statement was not original with Coach Fortunato. That statement is actually a biblical truth.

Throughout scripture we see men and women of God go through many types of trials and tribulations before entering into their final resting place where there is no more suffering and no more pain and where each have gained their eternal reward in the presence of Almighty God.

Our Lord Jesus set the perfect example for us to see what His followers should expect. On The first Palm Sunday, many thought their Messiah was going to come in to town with "guns blazing!" But Jesus showed them and us that before glory, suffering must take place. (Luke 24:26)

A.W. Tozar once wrote, "It is doubtful that God can use a man greatly until He hurts him deeply."

Where did we come up with the notion that causes us to ask the question, "How can a loving God allow suffering?" We have the answer to that throughout the pages of Scripture. Our loving God told us that we WILL suffer, but He also told us: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). And Paul encourages us with this: "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body" (2Cor. 4:8-10).

Suffering is a prelude to Glory for those who know the Lord. Jesus was not only an example for us to worship and adore, but being conformed into His image includes realizing that our lives will look like His-the suffering and the glory. Don't be surprised or shun suffering. Expect it, embrace it and through your tears and pain keep your eyes on Jesus..."The pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Suffering before Glory – No pain, no gain! That's part of God's design.