Strengthened for Suffering

This letter continues with an exhortation to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And more specifically to be strengthened for suffering! Paul gives Timothy three illustrative examples of the types of suffering he is commending Christians to embrace. The first is that of a soldier. He forgoes all the pleasures and distractions of civilian life knowing that they are uneeded entanglements. Instead, the soldier possesses a single-minded devotion: to please his commanding officer. Similarly, the Christian suffers and endures with heart and mind devoted to one thing: the good pleasure of the King. Likewise, our suffering is sometimes akin to that of the athlete. The athlete could suffer much less hardship if he cut corners and bent the rules. But instead, he competes according to the laws of the game. Christians often encounter difficulty that is associated with doing what is right. And the third and final example that Paul gives of single-minded devotion is the suffering labour of the farmer. The farmer perseveres for the reward ahead - the crop that he knows will come at the harvest time. And just like the farmer, the Christian also labours for fruit deferred - but the one who endures will have a first share in the crop of glory being harvested by Christ!