All men and women suffer because they are mortal (see Genesis 3:16-19). Life is hard, and God has made it so for our ultimate benefit. Those who try to live Godly lives in an Godless world will suffer for that reason also. All God's prophets who took God's word to His people suffered. They were ridiculed and scorned, and cruelly treated because of their testimony for God. Jeremiah is a typical example:

"When the priest Pashur son of Immer, the chief officer in the temple of the Lord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put in the stocks at the Upper Gate…." (Jeremiah 20:1-2).

Jesus, who continued the warning message of God's prophets, so angered the Jews that they had him crucified: "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." (Matthew 16:21; see also 1 Peter 2:21; 3:13-18; 4:12-19).

The apostle Paul also suffered greatly (see 2 Corinthians 11:23-33), but at the end of it all he could say: "…just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows." (2 Corinthians 1:5).

"In fact, everyone who wants to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse…." (2 Timothy 3:12-13).

"If we suffer, we shall also reign with him..." (2 Timothy 2:12, KJV).