I believe that, as is so often the case with Christianity, the Lord turns what at first seems logical to us on its head. Our pain, suffering, and weakness are not so much conditions to avoid or endure, as conditions to cherish. They benefit us in ways we cannot see at the time. Even more important, they accomplish His purposes. Let’s see how this applies to Paul. We know that he suffered as he worked to spread the gospel message during the first century. He describes it himself: Five times I received