His Trials

You are those who have stayed with me in my trials.

Luke 22:28

Jesus endured trials while on earth. And he continues to endure them now.

Whenever his people sin.

Whenever there is false teaching.

Whenever wives are mistreated.

Whenever husbands are disrespected.

Whenever children are neglected.

Whenever widows are forgotten.

Whenever his people are persecuted.

Whenever a church is a mess.

These are his trials. And we get to receive the grace of experiencing them with him.

Will you stay with him?

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.

John 13:20   

Christ's followers endure hardships. If we suffer for doing good, if we suffer for simply seeking to do his will and not our own, then it is in a sense his suffering, his trial. When the world rejects us on account of him, they are rejecting him. We are just along for the ride. For those who stay with him through these trials he grants a reward: to rule with him.

You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Luke 22:28-30 

But before we rule, it is fitting that we should first suffer. This is the way of Christ, and so it will be our way. And when he returns to consummate his rule, all will have been necessary to complete his work in us so that we are fit to rule. All will have been worth it.

Take heart, Christian. Stay with him.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. 
Psalm 34:19