Fellowship of Suffering

"That I may know Him and the power of his
resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering..."

OK, what does the word 'fellowship' mean? It
means: 'A joint interest; companionship; association
of persons on equal terms; the state of being
together.'

Equal terms, companionship, a state of being
together--with God--in suffering????

Papa, I hate to suffer. I turn down the AC; I raise
the heat. I avoid conflict. I moan and groan over
being misunderstood. It is death to me. I want to
explain, fix, heal. Jesus did not shy away from his
humanness but in every way He was tempted as
I am, yet, He laid it all down; became like one of
us. He shared our suffering so He could have
fellowship with us, with me. But, what if I refuse
the path laid out before me which includes suffering?
Well, I will know about your Son, but I won't know
Him intimately. Suffering deeply ties us together.
Lord, I am not yet at that point of letting You call
the shots in this. It is hard for me to surrender, to
truly surrender.

Check out the new story whose theme is suffering
http://www.hisvictoriousindwelling.com/stories.php