I haven’t got to the place of even feeling mildly good about this aspect of Jesus’ ministry in and through my life. Rejoicing and being glad is a condition that is really a long way off. What is going to happen to me in all this Gospel studying that is going to bring excitement about me suffering? I hate sore muscles when I do something hard like sweeping out the garage. I get depressed when someone doesn’t say hi to me as I walk down the street. What is going to make me ecstatic when people start persecuting me?

Here Peter was struggling with this issue. And he seemed to be able to overcome it.

Mat 26:69-74 (NIV) Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said. But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said.

Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth." He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the Man!"

After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the Man!" Immediately a rooster crowed.

Ever heard a rooster crow during your ministry? Me too.