【林后1:8-9】弟兄们，我们不要你们不晓得，我们从前在亚细亚遭遇苦难，被压太重，力不能胜，甚至连活命的指望都绝了。自己心里也断定是必死的，叫我们不靠自己，只靠叫死人复活的神。【2Cor1:8-9】We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

基督徒若想传讲神的话，必须自己先走过，才是生命的道，不然只是头脑知识。If a Christian wants to preach God’s Word, they must first walk through it themselves so that it becomes the word of life—not merely head knowledge. 耶稣不讲大道理，而是亲自道成肉身，活出真理。祂从降生就受苦、逃亡，被拒绝、被藐视，直至钉十字架。Jesus never spoke lofty theories; He Himself became flesh and lived out the truth. From birth He suffered—fleeing as a refugee, being rejected, despised, and ultimately nailed to the cross. 世上无人能与祂受的苦相比。所以祂能安慰我们说：在世上有苦难，但祂已经胜过世界，我们可以放心。No one on earth has suffered as He did. That is why He can comfort us, saying: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.”

保罗被召时，主就指示他必为主的名受许多苦。When Paul was called, the Lord showed him that he would suffer much for the sake of His name. 他经历监禁、鞭打、饥寒、危难，身体的基本需求常常不能满足，心里还担着众教会的重担。He experienced imprisonment, beatings, hunger, cold, danger, and even lacked life’s basic needs, all while carrying the heavy burden of care for the churches. 他在极度的苦难和绝望中无法靠自己，只能转向那叫死人复活的神。他越来越认识基督，并祂钉十字架这苦难中隐含的真理大爱，In extreme suffering and despair, he could no longer rely on himself but had to turn to the God who raises the dead. Through this, he came to know Christ and the hidden truth of His love displayed on the cross. 神赐苦难是为了让他更多经历神的大能和恩典，信心被炼净，生命脱胎换骨——不再是我，乃是基督在我里面活着。God allowed suffering to teach Paul more of His power and grace, refining his faith and transforming his life—so that it was no longer Paul who lived, but Christ living in him.

主啊，让我深深思想你和保罗的道路，我渴慕得着你丰盛的生命，愿意与你和众圣徒一同受苦。Lord, help me to reflect deeply on the path You and Paul walked. I long to receive the fullness of Your life and I am willing to suffer with You and with all the saints.从各种小事上操练。当事情不合己意时，当听到别人说话很难听时，当自己的时间，计划被打乱时，当自己的吃、睡、穿、各种欲望不能满足，很多事情搞不定的时候，Train me in small things—when things don’t go my way, when others speak harsh words, when my plans and time are interrupted, when my desires for food, rest, comfort, or control aren’t satisfied, and when so many things seem beyond me.求你提醒我，意识到，这些环境都是出于你，是你在训练我，要我祷告放下自己的欲望计划，与私欲争战，Remind me in those moments that these circumstances come from You, that You are training me to pray, to let go of my desires and plans, and to battle against my selfish nature.在小事上受苦，舍己，慢慢学会变被动为主动，喜欢被否定，被打断，被修剪，背起基督苦难的十字架…Teach me to suffer in the small things, to deny myself, and to gradually learn to turn passivity into willingness—finding joy even in being corrected, interrupted, pruned, and carrying the cross of Christ’s suffering.在委屈中闭上嘴祷告，以受苦的心志为兵器，与自己里面想争辩、解释、证明自己对的营垒争战，死也要信靠神，In moments of injustice, help me to stay silent and pray, taking on the same mindset of Christ, using suffering as a weapon against the fortress of pride and self-defence within me. Even if it means dying, I will trust You.喜悦基督受苦的生命在我里面天天兴旺，预备更大更难的试炼临到时，不靠自己，死就死吧！Let the life of Christ—marked by suffering and resurrection—flourish within me daily, so that when greater and harder trials come, I will not rely on myself but say, “If I perish, I perish!”让基督死里复活的大能在我身上彰显出来，荣耀神。May the power of Christ’s resurrection be revealed in me, to the glory of God.

（陈弟兄Brother Chen）