“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, (Philippians 3:10 NIV)”
You cannot personally experience the power of the resurrection in your life without first personally experiencing the suffering of Christ’s death. His suffering was not the physical pain, insults, betrayal and humiliation inflicted by man. His greatest suffering was to become acquainted with sin and experience separation from His Father. He and the Father shared a perfect love. On the cross, Yeshua gave up what He loved most and which actually loved Him back just as strongly (His relationship with His Father).
You will not know Messiah in the participation of His suffering until you give up the thing that you love the most, and that which loves you back! Often times we give up things that are causing suffering in our lives, as if we have made some unusual sacrifice. But God will require that thing which your heart loves, that thing which brings joy and happiness into your life, that thing which is honorable and worthy – the very thing that He blessed you with, He will require of you. He will require of you anything that threatens to take first place in your heart.
He challenged Abraham to give up Issac and He is challenging you today to give up the very thing that He promised you, the thing that He Himself gave to you — He wants it back. He wants you to prove that you love Him most of all, even more than His promises over your life. Is that thing a job, a relationship, a house, a business, an older child that needs to move out, a ministry position… What is it that He has blessed you with that you are not willing to part with? That is the thing that He wants. When you sacrifice what you love and what loves you, then you will know Christ in the fellowship of His suffering and the power of His resurrection – then you will personally experience His glory in your life!
~Insights from Dr. Intimacy~ © April 2, 2013
Insights from Dr. Intimacy 
Wow. Just wow.