Friendships provide fellowship, encouragement, and motivation (among many other benefits). We look forward to spending time with friends for the sake of all these good benefits we provide each other. That’s the way friendship ought to be.

But Paul speaks of a different kind of fellowship. It’s not the kind that we’re used to, but it’s the kind Jesus calls us to. He advocates for “the fellowship of His sufferings,” where that suffering leads to a deeper experiential knowledge of Jesus. There seems to be some connection with pain and intimacy with the Lord. Suffering seems to unite us more closely with Christ.

So, should we look for and desire a life of suffering? Some people take on that notion that we should not only desire suffering, but that we should arrange our lives toward suffering. Maybe that’s a bit extreme. We don’t need to look for suffering and trouble. Just wait…it’s part of life.

I think the key is not looking for suffering, but looking to Jesus in the midst of our suffering. In every painful situation, think about how Jesus suffered so much for our sins. Imagine that you are in fellowship with Christ – in this painful situation as well. This is true fellowship, a fellowship of a different kind.
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