The fellowship of suffering_sharing the sorrows of the Son of God_is a blessed privilege which
angels cannot have, and which only those who follow Jesus through the valley of tears can know.

To do the will of God may be our service and portion for all eternity, but only here can we have
the suffering connected with it. I suppose that if our Lord were to answer the cry which is wrung
at times from our stricken hearts, "It is enough, O Lord, take away my life," by calling us
suddenly to His presence, we should wish we could return, even from thence, to suffer a little
longer for Him, and to learn those lessons only to be learned below. If the choice were ours,
would we choose to have less of sorrow now, and thus be less prepared for the place He is
preparing for us? Would we stay His hand by our unbelief, and be less fitted to reflect His glory
forever?

Fellowship in sorrow awakens the deepest chords of- our hearts; and these are needed for the full
realization of the highest notes of joy. It is the sympathetic touch of the Master’s hand that is
tuning His instrument for the music of heaven, for the "new song" in which only His redeemed
can join.

When we see the King in His beauty, and share His glory, shall we not rejoice to think we also
shared His sufferings? Crowned with everlasting joy, shall we not exclaim, amid the alleluias of
heaven, "Surely the sufferings of that past time were not worthy to be compared with the glory
now revealed in us! Light affliction, for a moment_a far more exceeding and eternal weight of
glory! Then we suffered with Him, now we reign!"