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For to you it has been granted, on behalf of the King, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake. (Php. 1:29)

The Spirit himself bears witness with out spirit that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint-heirs with the King—if we suffer with him so that we may be glorified together. For I consider the sufferings of this time unworthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Rom. 8:16-18, emphasis added)

... I count all things loss for the excellence of knowing the King, Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of everything, and consider it all manure, so that I may obtain the King and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the King's faith, the righteousness which is from God by faith. [This is] so that I may know him, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being molded like his death. (Php. 3:8-10, emphasis and brackets added)

He that rides to be crowned, will not think much of a rainy day. (source unknown, cited by Revival List)

Such an elevation of choice becomes the engine of our inhumanity. In the name of ending suffering, we end our existence itself. And this is always true. When the primary goal of life becomes the absence of suffering, then we agree to do murder. For suffering cannot be abolished, only killed.

   This sheds an interesting light on the question: “Why does God allow people to suffer?” Apparently, the Christian God does not think the elimination of suffering to be the ultimate good. And there is indeed something greater. ...

   But the salvation we have “by His life,” is not a salvation without suffering. If anything, the Christian life contains specific promises of suffering. Christians are those who have followed Christ and voluntarily lay down their lives. ("The Human Project". Accessed Dec. 4, 2014.)

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