Expectations

On being a martyr
There is a facet of faith that most of us only have second-hand knowledge: being martyrs for God. It is an odd thing - looking through Fox's book of martyrs, one gets the impression that there USED to be people who were willing to die for Him, if only to get the word out and to further His kingdom, but now the faith and passion and zeal of the 'true' believer has died down, leaving only the initial followers of Christ Jesus and those that manage to hang on long enough to be a witness and testimony for others. However, there will never be a book that catalogues the number of martyrs in today's world - people in China are under attack this very moment for believing in the very same thing I am free to post. Thus, dear reader: do you know of any family, individuals, or churches I might pray about?

On what a believer's life looks like
From scripture we know there are a number of tools and instances where people are very clearly suffering. Paul, for instance, not only suffered, but accounted it a blessing to suffer, in the line of duty. The question has drawn itself to my awareness because I see God's glory, God's grace, and God's blessings nearly all the time in everything I see and do. The result is that I am full of thanksgiving I often miss the suffering - is that the key? Are we to assume that a believer has his own share, or more, of suffering, but has a completely different perspective on the experience?