The Christian life boils down to one thing Jesus called Peter (and all who would follow Him) to do: Follow Me!

As Jesus was preparing for his death, He told the disciples that they would grieve for a little while, but then they would rejoice. The joy that Jesus gives to His disciples is an everlasting joy that the world cannot take away.

In the midst of the disciples' anxiety, Jesus gives them a hope that goes beyond anything they will suffer in the future. It's the same hope that sustains Christians today when they're suffering. That hope is heaven!

Whenever we face suffering or hardship as a Christian, we have two choices. We can either step up or we can shrink back. However, as the writer of Hebrews said, "We are not of those who shrink back."

The foundation of a building is the most important part of the building. If the foundation is strong, the building will endure, but if the foundation is weak, the building will not stand. The same is true for us. If the foundation of our faith is strong, we will stand in times of storm. What is the foundation of your faith?

It's easy to avoid a friend when they are suffering because we don't know what to say to help them. However, a true godly friend won't let his or her friend stand alone when they're hurting.