Cannot taking up our cross include suffering?
"And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." Matt 10:38
Can persecution include suffering?
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Matt 5:10-11
Should we not expect persecution?
"Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also." John 15:20
"And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." Matt 26:39
Jesus' cup included suffering through torture and death on the cross. What is our cup to be... persecution including suffering and death?
Here he speaks of the cup of James and of John:
"But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father." Matt 20:22-23
Again, what is our cup to be? Will there be suffering? Will we be ready to go through if we must?
If we remain always on God's side, will we not bear along side of Him what He expects us to bear?
"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Rom 8:31