Trevor McMahan Is Back With Us Live And Direct: Part 2... Suffering With Purpose Can Teach You What Success Never Will

Pain has a way of making you ask hard questions, and we do not dodge them here. Trevor McMahon joins us again for part two on suffering with purpose, anchored in Philippians 3:10 and the challenging phrase “the fellowship of His sufferings.” We talk honestly about persecution, opposition, and the strange reality that hardship can be evidence you’re walking close to Jesus, not proof you’ve been forgotten.

We dig into what suffering can produce that comfort never will: deeper intimacy with Christ, spiritual maturity, and a faith that has actually been tested. We walk through Scriptures like Psalm 34:18, James 1:2–4, 1 Peter 1:6–7, and Luke 9:23 to show how trials refine the heart, expose what still needs surrender, and build endurance in the valley. Trevor shares why fixing your eyes on Jesus changes how you interpret rejection, slander, and even real-world threats.

We also connect suffering to ministry and hope. God comforts us so we can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:3–4), and what you survive can become someone else’s breakthrough. We zoom out to eternity with Romans 8:18 and 2 Corinthians 4:17, then land on the center of it all: Jesus endured the cross because purpose gave meaning to pain.

If you’re carrying something heavy, let this strengthen your grip on Christ. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs courage, and leave a review so more people can find it.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

All right, folks. Welcome back to Life Around the Fire. And we are once again in studio today with Trevor McMahon. He's doing part two of this topic concerning suffering with purpose.

SPEAKER_01 0:14

Yes.

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And it's a relevant topic, not only here, and we're doing this in Florida, so in the United States of America, it's not only relevant here. In fact, folks, we're going to be experiencing more and more of that coming up. Not that I relish in that, but just a heads

Welcome And Message Setup

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up. But for those of you who are experiencing this in different parts of the world, this is a very relevant word. Amen. And so we want to uh encourage you and Trevor, once again, you have free liberty and reign. We love you. Love you too.

SPEAKER_02 0:44

Have at it, brother. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 0:47

Amen. Amen. Thank you for having me back, brother. Love you tremendously. Yes, yes. So this is part two with suffering with purpose. This is part two. It's called The Fellowship of His Suffering. The Fellowship of His Suffering. Philippians chapter 3, verse 10 says, That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made comfortable, conformable unto his death. In our first message we learn that Paul's thorn was not a sickness, but persecution

The Fellowship Of His Suffering

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and opposition that followed him throughout his ministry. We discovered that persecution is not evidence that God has abandoned you. In many cases, persecution is actually evidence that we are walking closely with our Savior. Today we'll go deeper. Do you want to go deeper? Today we'll go deeper. Most Christians want the power of his resurrection. Most Christians want victory. Most Christians want miracles. Most Christians want blessings. Man, you have summed up my whole entire life. But very few desire what Paul desired. Paul said that I may know him and the fellowship of his sufferings. Why would anyone desire suffering? Why would Paul pursue it? Because Paul understood something that many believers never discover. There are things you learn about Jesus and suffering that cannot be learned anyway else. See, suffering creates intimacy with Christ. Remember in Philippians 3 10 it said that I may know him. That I may know him. The word know means way more than just information. It means intimacy, relationship, experience. Paul

Intimacy With Jesus Through Pain

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was saying, I don't just want to know about Jesus. He said, I want to know Jesus. There are truths learned in suffering that cannot be learned in prosperity. Let's say that again. There are truths learned in suffering that just can't be learned in prosperity. There are dimensions of God's comfort that cannot be experienced until you need comfort. There are dimensions of God's faithfulness that cannot be experienced until everything else fails. Psalms 34 18 says, The Lord is nigh unto them which are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Sometimes God feels closest during our darkest seasons, not because he moved closer. You hear that? Not because God moved closer to you, but because suffering stripped away everything else we were leaning on. Right on. Hallelujah. Say all that one more time.

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Please do.

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Sometimes God feels closest during our darkest season, not because he moved any closer to us, but because suffering stripped away everything else we were leaning on. Jesus Himself, man, this Jesus Himself learned through suffering. The truth surprises many people. In Hebrews chapter 5, verse 8, it says, Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. Said he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. Jesus never sinned. Jesus never failed. Yet Scripture says he learned obedience through suffering. If suffering was part of the Father's plan for his son, why would we think we were exempt? God often teaches through what he allows. Suffering produces spiritual maturity. James chapter one verses two through four. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Hallelujah. Notice James does not say count it joy if trials

Trials That Grow Patience And Endurance

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come. He says, Count it joy when they come. Trials are inevitable, but so is God's purpose. See, trials produce patience. Patience is not developed when everything goes your way. You hear that? Patience is not developed when everything is going your way. Patience grows when everything goes wrong and you continue trusting God. Come on now, I'm speaking to somebody. Patience grows. Patience grows when everything goes wrong and you continue trusting your Lord and Savior. It produces endurance. Anybody can praise God on the mountaintop. Endurance is developed in the valley. It produces spiritual strength. Faith that has never been tested cannot be trusted. Every trial reveals the strength of our foundation. See, suffering separates us from the world. One reason many believers struggle with suffering is because we have adopted the world's definition of success. The world says, avoid pain, seek comfort, live for yourself, protect your reputation. But Jesus taught the complete opposite. In Luke chapter 9, verse 23, it says, If any man will come after me,

Refining Faith And Dying To Self

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if any man come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Listen to this: a cross is not jewelry, a cross is not any type of decoration. A cross is an instrument of death. Jesus was saying, If you follow me, your flesh will suffer, your pride will suffer, your selfishness will suffer, your old nature will have to die. See, suffering refines your faith. In first Peter chapter one verses six through seven it says, Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be you are in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold and gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. That's one of my favorite verses right there. So gold is purified through the fire. Faith is purified through the trials. Fire reveals impurity. Trials reveal impurities. When pressure comes, what comes out? Fear, anger, bitterness, unbelief? The fear, the fire reveals what still needs to be surrendered. See, a blacksmith heats steel before shaping it. The heat is not destroying the metal, the heat is preparing it. In the same way, God uses trials to shape us into the image of Christ. Suffering. Suffering gives us a testimony. One of the greatest ministries you will ever have comes from what you have suffered. You hear that? One of the greatest ministries you'll ever have comes from what you have suffered. Second Corinthians chapter 1, verses 3 and 4. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort,

Turning Pain Into Ministry For Others

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the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble. By the comfort whereas wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

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That's our ministry right there, brother.

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Hallelujah. See, God never wastes pain. Your suffering becomes somebody else's breakthrough. Your testimony becomes somebody else's hope. Your victory becomes somebody else's encouragement. The comfort God gives you today becomes the comfort you give away tomorrow. Let me say that again because I know God is revealing to me that I'm speaking to somebody, even if just one person, you need to hear this. In 2 Corinthians chapter 3, verses 1 or chapter 1, verses 3 through 4, it's paraphrased. God never waste your pain. Not one drip, not one drop. Your suffering becomes somebody else's breakthrough. Your testimony becomes somebody else's hope. Your victory becomes somebody else's encouragement. And the comfort God gives you today becomes the comfort you can give away tomorrow. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. See, suffering produces eternal glory. Romans chapter 8, verses 18 says, 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. Hallelujah. Paul suffered beatings, imprisonments, rejection, persecution, stoning, shipwrecks. That's a lot of persecution right there, folks. Yet Paul looked at eternity and declared, It's

Eternal Glory And The Road To Calvary

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all worth it. One glimpse of Jesus will make every trial seem like a small little anthill. One moment in his presence will outweigh every hardship endured on earth. Second Corinthians chapter 4, verse 17, for it says, For our light affliction, and this is Paul talking about this. He called all that stuff I just listed. He called beatings, imprisonment, rejection, persecution, stoning, shipwrecks. He says, For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceedingly eternal weight of glory. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. Notice Paul says, suffering is working for us. Come on, man. Suffering is working for you. It's not working against you, it's working for you. Even pain becomes a servant in God's hand. Even pain becomes a servant in God's hand. The greatest example of all is Jesus Christ, of course. Every lesson about suffering ultimately leads us to Calvary's Hill. Oh. Jesus suffered rejection, betrayal, mocking, scourging, crucifixion. He was innocent. Yet he suffered willingly. Why? Because suffering had a purpose. Hebrews chapter twelve, verse two tells us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus saw beyond the pain. He saw redemption. Jesus saw salvation. He saw you. He saw me. He saw millions being reconciled to the Father. The purpose gave meaning to pain. When you understand purpose, you can endure anything. See, people often ask, why am I suffering? The greater question is, what is God producing through this suffering? God may be deepening your faith, strengthening your character, increasing your dependency, preparing your ministry, refining your heart, drawing you closer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. See, the enemy is trying to use that suffering to make you bitter, but God wants that suffering to make you better. Paul did not seek suffering because he enjoyed pain. He embraced suffering because he loved Jesus. He understood that every trial was another opportunity to know Christ more deeply. The Christian life is not just about hardship, it's about becoming like Jesus Christ. The path of discipleship has always passed through suffering before glory. The path of discipleship has always passed through suffering before glory. There is a cross before the crown. There is a Friday before the Sunday. There is suffering before resurrection. But resurrection always comes. The believer's story never ends in suffering. It ends in glory. Hallelujah. Perhaps you are in a season of suffering today. Maybe you are carrying burdens that nobody knows about. Maybe you feel weary and heavy laden. Maybe you feel misunderstood. Maybe you just feel abandoned. Today remember this God sees you where you are. God knows, God cares, and God is working even when you can't see it.

Hope For The Weary And Misunderstood

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Have hope, don't give up. Do not lose heart, because your suffering has a purpose. Your pain is not wasted. And if you continue trusting him, what the enemy meant for evil, I promise you God will turn for your good. One day you will look back and discover that your greatest season of suffering became your greatest season of transformation. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you. I love y'all, and I really appreciate y'all having me. I bless y'all in the mighty name of Jesus.

SPEAKER_00 17:10

Oh, yeah. Well, you know, I'm here and in this room right now, and I can look at you square in the eyeballs.

SPEAKER_02 17:20

Amen.

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And see the power of God and sense the liberty of the Lord coming through you, even though the topic that you're talking about would seem to be like one of those that is like hard to swallow.

SPEAKER_02 17:36

Yes, it is.

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But when we do

Bonhoeffer And The Cost Of Discipleship

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and we embrace the reality of what comes as a result of following Christ, even in suffering, we get to partake in a dimension of his life.

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That's right.

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It doesn't come any other way. Amen. It does not come any other way except through that way. That's right. Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

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Amen.

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Gentleman who was alive during the time of the Holocaust when Hitler and the Germans were just tearing apart Europe. And he was a member of the Body of Christ in Germany at the time. And he was outspoken against the Nazis. And also he was a proponent for the Jews.

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Amen.

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Well, that's not a good recipe.

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Nope.

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During that era.

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Not at all.

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And he wound up in prison and ended up to be a martyr. Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

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Yeah.

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And he wrote a book called The Cost of Discipleship. It's a classic.

SPEAKER_02 18:41

Amen.

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And in his book, one of the statements that he made has stayed with me over 30 years, is this. When Christ bids a man come, he bids him to come and die. Amen. It's until we die to that old nature, or as we die to that old nature, we experience the life of our Lord. Now, there's only one question I got for you. On this one, okay. And it's not necessarily the easiest question because you gotta pull from a lot of really rich stuff that you shared. Okay, and the question is this if there's one just one if there's one takeaway from this, if there's one takeaway that you could encourage someone with, what would it

One Takeaway For Facing Persecution

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be?

SPEAKER_01 19:45

So what really changed my perspective of this was if you're living for Jesus, the world will see Jesus in you, and they hated Jesus, so they'll hate you too. And when you get the full understanding of that, and you realize that it's actually an honor bestowed upon you to be able to suffer in any type of like manner as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it changes your perception of how you live. Like, I can suffer the evil things that people say about me, and people say evil things about me all the time. I can suffer the people throwing things at me when we go downtown, people swinging at me, people pulling guns or knives on me. I can suffer all of that because I just keep my eyes fixed upon my Lord and my Savior Jesus Christ. And I believe Paul had found the secret to that. Because what that persecution does is it produces something in you far greater than you could ever achieve on your own strength. Because Paul said that that famous phrase that in my weakness your strength is made perfect. And so I personally long and look forward to, I count it all joy to be persecuted like my Lord and Savior. It may sound crazy, but in that persecution, I find such a closeness to my savior. I experience his presence like I've never experienced it before. Every single time I've had a church turn against me and everybody come against me, but during that time, his presence was so sweet. I'm talking about like the like I just felt like that. I was just in the throne room. He had his arms wrapped around me, speaking wonderful things over me. He had angels singing songs. I had never experienced that until I had such persecution. And so it it's like he comes in when the world comes against you. He comes in and he actually establishes something in your heart that's far greater than you could ever achieve on your own.

SPEAKER_00 21:52

Well, that's a good word. That's a good word. I it was probably again a a while ago, over 30 years, that I had The Lord speaks to my heart along the lines of what you're saying and you know just really indicated to me that uh there were gonna be difficult that were gonna come. But don't worry about what's gonna take place when it happens, because what you experience when it happens is actually more than what

Grace In The Moment And The Crushing

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you were experiencing before it happened.

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Amen.

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I thought about the presence of God and his grace. Amen. It wasn't there before it happened, but when or as it was happening, his grace, then it's manifest.

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Amen.

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Like martyrdom before the giting falls. Amen. The grace is available. Amen. Yes. Stephen looked and said, Look, there they are. Yes.

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He said, He's standing. Amen. And it's because Paul said in uh 2 Corinthians chapter 4, you know, we have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. That treasure is that grace, that treasure is that Holy Spirit. So then, therefore, you have to have a crushing, right? You have to release the oil, you know, it has to be crushed first. And then once it's crushed, then that treasure can be released for the rest of the world to be able to bask in the ambience of God. But it's not until then that happens. And so, like, even fasting is a type and shadow of suffering because you know, Jesus talked to the Pharisees and he's just talking about, you know, they they asked him, Why don't your disciples fast? And, you know, he says, Well, the the bridegroom's here, he says, but whenever the bridegroom's gone, they will mourn. So then, therefore, the the fasting is a type of mourning or type of suffering that we can take on to our bridegroom comes, and so we can impose that suffering to be able to release the oil. And I was going to teach on that a little bit too, but it it's powerful that suffering produces such greatness in us.

SPEAKER_00 23:54

Well, we'll just have to have you back.

SPEAKER_01 23:56

Amen.

SPEAKER_00 23:56

We'll just have to have you back, we'll just have to keep doing this stuff. But, brother, amen. I agree with your analysis, and I was prepared not to agree. Because sometimes that just makes things real, you know. But uh it's real nonetheless. So would you, my dear brother, would you please close us in prayer?

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Amen.

SPEAKER_00 24:12

Okay.

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Father, we love you, we love you, we love you, Father. We just thank you. We we humbly become, we humbly come before the throne of grace, and we just thank you, Father. Father, I ask that you would bestow a special blessing on everybody who hears this message, Father. That you would visit, you would send Jesus to visit them in their dreams, to give them visions. Father, that Jesus would just manifest himself to them where they could grab a hold of a risen Savior, that he's alive, and that they could hold on to him

Closing Prayer Of Blessing

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like never before, so they can walk in boldness and confidence in everything they do and say, that when persecution comes, that they are wrapped around the Jesus Christ, the risen Savior, and that they will never shriek back, they will never waver, they will never be pushed off of that word of God. And Father, I just thank you for what you have done, what you are doing, and what you will do. And I ask that you continue to bless this podcast and bless my brother David and all that he does, says, and touches in Jesus' mighty name.

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In the name of Jesus. Amen. Hallelujah. Folks, we've never done this before, but I'm gonna I'm gonna make this statement. For those of you who are listening, and some of you are listening from Singapore, some of you from Kenya, some of you from Belarus, you're all over the place. But for those of you who are listening, and you're a leader, and you'd like to see a team of us come into your area, into your region, and help you do the stuff, amen. Be part of the kingdom activity that God is manifesting and releasing

Invitation To Connect And Serve

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on the planet and seeing the saints equipped, we are here to serve you. Absolutely. And you can look us up on the web, find out the information about that, and we would love to come and serve you in the mighty name of Jesus.

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Amen.

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And so, folks, if you have any thoughts, questions, concerns, please feel free to look us up on the web, just type in Life Around the Fire, or if you type in Life Around the Fire, that's our G at excuse me, LifeRound the Fire at Gmail.com. That's our email address. Send us an email. We would love to hear from you. In the meantime, God bless you. Adios, amigos.