Hebrews informs us that all the sons of God are chastened that they may learn the peaceable, righteous ways of the Lord.

No person having sound mental health desires trouble or suffering. Yet it is only as we suffer that we rule with Him. Otherwise our idols and our self-serving pervert our judgment, and prevent us from being bread for the spiritually needy.

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10—NIV)

God permits Satan to put some of us in prison in order to test us. We are not to be afraid of what we are to suffer.

We shall be persecuted for ten days.

One of the most difficult features of the Lord's prisons is that we do not know when our suffering will end. If we only knew we could scratch the days off on the granite wall of our cell. But for all we know the confinement will continue until we die.

If we are going to come through the Divinely appointed experience successfully we must place all of our hopes and dreams beyond physical death. We must lay up our treasures in Heaven because we have no idea how long our troubles will last.

If we set a time, saying, "After ten years I will take myself out of this prison," you can be sure we will be left there for ten years to see what we will do.

No, we accept the fact that we may be delivered only by physical death. Then we will last through the trial. Indeed, it may in fact be relieved only by physical death! Abraham may actually be required to sacrifice Isaac!

We do not know when our pain will end. But we can be positive of one thing. God is in absolute control, just as He was in the case of Job. Our trial will not continue one second longer than God finds necessary to remove the idols that stand between Christ and us.

We shall receive the crown of life if we remain faithful to God. Then we can live before Him, free from those forces that were keeping us in miserable bondage. We did not realize, before we were released, how bound we actually have been.

Another great blessing is that we have no more fear of the torment that comes from Divine judgment on sin and rebellion. The second death can no longer hurt us in any manner. The Lake of Fire retains no authority over any part of our personality. We can approach God in utmost confidence.

So, as in all things, we enter our land of promise by overcoming the challenges placed before us. Life on the earth is so short, and eternity is so long, let us serve God with complete diligence and obedience while we are here.

We have a long, long time during the next life to contemplate our present decisions and actions. (from In the Fire With the Lord)