“I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering…” (Philippians 3:10). Well, we were doing great for the first half of that verse. Can we honestly “amen” the second half? The “fellowship of His suffering”? I had preached that we should. We had been in John 9 seeing how “suffering sets the table for God’s glory to be served.” Jesus said the man was born blind “so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” And all the people say “Amen!” Until we are the blind ones. Until we are the suffering. Then it gets so hard to sit down at the table – to trust God in the midst of our suffering to bring about His glory. I had preached that we should. And then I found myself overnight in an emergency room with my hurting wife, surrounded by far too many other groaning people. Meg, we know now, is suffering from a failed gall bladder. It has been a painful couple of weeks for her. We keep trying to excuse ourselves from that table, but God isn’t done yet. He has more glory to serve. Surgery is now scheduled and Meg’s gall bladder will probably be removed by the time this article is published. We have learned that we can hope in God’s purpose, presence, and power when we suffer – and we have seen all these things! But we still groan! Jesus wept, remember? We saw in John 11 how he mourned and groaned at the grave of Lazarus, even though He was preparing to raise Him from the dead. Even when we are sure God’s glory is coming, we can still groan with the rest of creation while we await redemption (Romans 8:22-23). In fact, we should! And we should rally around each other, “feel” one another before we try to “fix” one another, and cling together while we wait for the ways God will reveal His glory. I’m so glad for how our Forcey family has strengthened us in this season (sometimes simply by allowing us to be weak). And I know our suffering does not compare with the trials that some of our brothers and sisters are facing right now. But we’re in it together, until He comes! One day there will be no more troubles, tears, or tombs (Revelation 21:3-4). Until then, it’s a blessed “fellowship of His suffering” that we share in together, and we are knowing and become more like Jesus through it all! From mountain high to valley low, it’s an honor to journey with you, Forcey family.