Crowned in Suffering
Even when clouds hide the sunshine, the child of God is always in the light.
Devotional Credit: Abide Above by Miles Stanford
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Miles Stanford gently reminds us that suffering, far from being a strange detour in the Christian life, is a gracious gift from God. He anchors this truth in Philippians 1:29, where Paul tells us that it has been granted not only to believe in Jesus but also to suffer for His sake. This is not meant to cast a shadow over our faith, but to open our eyes to the privilege of sharing in the fellowship of His sufferings.
Stanford explains that trials are not signs of God’s displeasure but His preparation. The Father uses afflictions to deepen our reliance upon Him and to draw us into closer fellowship with His Son. Though we may be tempted to shrink back when the weight of suffering presses in, we find that it becomes the very means by which His resources are made real to us. In those moments, we taste the riches of His grace more fully than we ever could in seasons of ease.
This perspective reframes suffering entirely. Rather than an enemy to be feared, trials become an avenue for Christ’s life to be expressed in us. Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 2:12 ring with promise: if we suffer with Him, we will also reign with Him. To reign with Jesus is not some distant reality reserved only for eternity; it begins even now as we yield to His life in the midst of difficulty and discover His sustaining presence moment by moment.
Stanford concludes with a thought that steadies the heart: the child of God is always in the light, even if not always in the sunshine. Affliction may obscure our view, but it cannot extinguish the reality of God’s favor and nearness. What feels like a heavy burden often becomes the crown of fellowship with Jesus, shaping us into His likeness and allowing His fragrance to be displayed in our weakness.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My beloved, I have not abandoned you in suffering. It has been granted to you not only to believe in My Son but also to share in His sufferings. Do not see this as punishment, but as participation in His life. When you suffer with Him, you also reign with Him.
I am using every trial to shape you into the likeness of Jesus. What feels heavy now is preparing for you an eternal weight of glory beyond comparison. You are never without My presence, even when clouds hide the sunshine. The light of My love surrounds you, and the fullness of My grace sustains you.
Do not measure your life by what you seem to accomplish, for My glory rests upon you even in weakness. The fragrance of Christ is revealed most richly when you lean into Me in your trials. Each moment of difficulty is a doorway into deeper fellowship, into a joy that no suffering can take away. Trust that nothing is wasted, for I am working all things together for good as you walk in union with Me.
Scripture References: Philippians 1:29, 2 Timothy 2:12, 2 Corinthians 4:17, Romans 8:28, Romans 8:17, 1 Peter 4:12-13, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, John 16:33, Hebrews 12:10-11.
Real-Life Analogy
Consider the process of refining silver. The raw piece looks dull and covered with impurities. When placed in the fire, the heat burns away everything that does not belong, and only then does the true beauty and shine emerge. The silversmith knows just how long to keep it in the fire and never leaves it unattended.
In the same way, suffering can feel like being placed into fire, yet it is the place where the beauty of Jesus is revealed in us. Today, when the weight of difficulty presses on me, I can pause and whisper, “Lord, I trust You to live through me in this very moment, even in the fire.” That simple yielding turns pain into a platform for His life to be displayed.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I thank You for the privilege of sharing in the sufferings of Jesus. I rejoice that suffering is not a mark of Your absence but of Your nearness, drawing me into fellowship with You. I rest in the assurance that these trials are not wasted but are shaping me into the likeness of Your Son. I confidently affirm that I am always in Your light, even when the sunshine seems hidden. Today I yield to You, trusting that Your life is reigning in me.