Many of you can think of difficult times you have been through and how in the pain you were transformed more into Christ's image. Our deepest desire for God is often found in suffering. We don't like to hear this. But the Christian life is inextricably linked with suffering. We are transformed into the likeness of Christ when we identify ourselves with the suffering and death of Christ on the cross.
Transformation involves dying to self.
We must go with Christ to the cross if we are to experience the new life of the resurrection. We so want the victory of the resurrection without the dying on the cross. Without the cross there would be no salvation. The cross is central to our faith. By going overseas you put yourself in a position where suffering is inevitable.