You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 2 Timothy 3:10 -13

How does one believer encourage another?  Paul is doing that here.  He reflects on his recent experiences, most unhappy ones.  Having been released from Roman imprisonment he revisited some of the churches he had a hand in planting in Turkey.  He does not go into detail but he obviously suffered a great deal.  Why?  He does not say. He lumps all his distress into the statement, You know…what kinds of things happened to me…the persecutions I endured.  He goes on to share deeply with Timothy, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 

I have counseled many people in my lifetime.  I must admit that I did not focus very often on what believers should be prepared to suffer.  I turned on my happy face and encouraged them to look up and push on, all will be fine!  Should I have, rather, been more straightforward in dealing with the suffering for Christ issue? I suppose there is a time for both encouragement and warning. We need to be wise in sharing our own life experience.

Paul had a deep and intimate relationship with this young follower of Jesus, Timothy.  He felt free to share some of the deepest lessons he is learning as an Apostle.  So, what did he talk about?  SUFFERING!  I believe that is significant. I know it for myself. At some point, a newborn child of God will meet suffering whether warned about it or not.  Indeed we need to be made aware of God’s blessings that are ours as sons and daughters of the Lord – great good news.  We should be aware of that but life in Christ is not eating the sweetest fruit only, it includes some excruciating suffering. They go together.

Paul does not speak of physical suffering at this point, but of emotional and spiritual suffering that he endured as he visited fellowships that were losing their focus on Jesus Christ and the Gospel.  Paul calls those he had to confront, evildoers and impostors.