Joyful Suffering

Jesus paid the price of all of humanity’s sin-debt. That price was not the only cost of human redemption, though. Just as Jesus was sent, He has sent us – to accomplish redemption. Not to pay the price of redemption to peoples’ relationships with Yahweh, but to pay the cost of relationship with each other that helps to prove His love, helps to effect His invitation, helps to create space into which new believers can grow in character and ministry. Its what Paul was referring to when he wrote

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.
(Colossians 1:24-29 NKJV)