If, in fact, we suffer with Him

And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ - if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with Him. ~ Romans 8:17

There you hear the high praise, honour and glory of Christians. Who can adequately praise and express it? No words can express it, nor can reason grasp it.

But here is found that deep human weakness within us, for if we could believe this and not doubt it, what is there to fear, and who is there to harm us? For whoever can say to God from the bottom of the heart, "You are my beloved Father and I am Your child," will obviously defy all the devils from hell, and with a joyful heart despise all the world's threatening and boasting. For in this Father we have a Lord before whom all creatures must tremble, and without His will they can do nothing. Thus they possess such an inheritance and dominion that no creature can harm or hurt them. But he adds this little word, "if, in fact, we suffer with him," that we may know that we must live in such a way on earth that we give proof that we are devout and obedient children who do not follow the lust of the flesh but suffer for the kingdom's sake whatever may befall us, and what hurts the flesh. If we do that, we should and shall find glorious comfort in the words and shall rejoice in the truth of them, "[F]or all who are led by the Spirit of God [that they follow not the flesh] are children of God" (Romans 8:14).

~ Martin Luther; Sermon on Romans 8:17

When peace, like a river, attends all my way;
when sorrows, like sea billows, roll;
whatever my lot, you have taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul. Amen
(Horatio G. Spafford, 1828-1888, alt.)