The experiences Earth gives us are temporary. After we leave here they are forever, either in indescribable joy and peace in the Presence of God, or banished eternally in the Lake of Fire.

There is just one thing eternal about life on earth and that is being with Jesus wherever He is, in His perfect will. The joy of that is "unspeakable". 1 Peter 1:6-9 The peace is beyond comprehension. Philippians 4:7 His love is "beyond knowledge". Ephesians 3:17-19 Everything else is temporary, especially the pleasure of sin. But afflictions and tribulation on Earth are also temporary. Storms here are just a fact, but they all pass!

Sometimes, (way more often than we would like!) living for Jesus feels like Hell. He reveals His will for us, we obey, and then suddenly we feel everything but "love, joy, and peace"!

Instead, heartache, pain, hopelessness, and gloom (to name a few) try to overwhelm us. That's because in order to obey Him we have to deny our flesh, (which is in love with this world and the devil), as well as our feelings, emotions, and our own will. But that, is "taking up your cross to follow Him"! It is the only suffering that is truly "of God".  

We find favor with God when we suffer for doing the right thing, whether it causes persecution or pain. I Peter 2:20   We are sowing seeds of righteousness in a time of pain, in order to reap a harvest with great joy.  Psalms 126:5,6  And the harvest will come! Just be patient, keeping the joy set before you. Even if you can't see what the joyful harvest will be, you can be sure that Jesus does! Taking up your cross truly is the greatest act of spiritual warfare against Satan and the kingdom of darkness.

Let's close with a meditation-exercise we'll call, "How do you think they felt?"