Emphasis Preaching Journal

In this remarkable passage Paul reports how he and other persons of faith "boast in our sufferings" (v. 3). That phrase might remind us of those who boast about -- even exaggerate -- the difficulties they faced when they were young ("I had to walk forty miles to school every day, through two feet of snow, and it was uphill both ways"). Reality is sometimes far worse. A friend of mine, while at work last week, began to shake and to cry uncontrollably.