Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

I don’t like suffering. After becoming a Christian I have often wondered why didn’t God just make us perfect. You know, immortal, powerful, able to stand in His presence. At the right moment God answered my question.

“I did.” Whoa, wait, you did? “Yes and they rebelled against me.”

Then I understood, the angels were God’s created perfect sons. They also were created to serve God, just as we are created. Yet we were created a little less than the angels. We are not immortal, we aren’t powerful, we cannot come and go from this realm to eternity and back. So why did He give them free will? Because God is perfect love and love doesn’t make demands on those it loves.

I’ve come to believe that we suffer, so that when we are perfected, and we will be perfected, we will have a history of suffering to compare with perfection. We will have a proper appreciation for perfection, having been less.

Having an understanding of that, perhaps it would be appropriate to have a proper appreciation of our salvation. Salvation is not offered to angels. In that we are set aside and special in God’s eyes.

Psalm 30:12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.