Finding Jesus in Suffering – Gerald Griffin

From Bridgetown Church, Portland, Oregon, Gerald Griffin shares how suffering and hope can coexist within us, expanding our souls and making us more like Jesus. Drawing from the story of a father honouring God's goodness at his son's funeral, Griffin explores how the church in Smyrna's persecution (Revelation 2:8-11) reveals that faithful endurance through trials releases a beautiful fragrance. Griffin challenges us to see the kingdom of God not as distant but present all around us, closer than we think—an invisible reality more real than what we see. Through personal stories of transformation and Dallas Willard's teachings, he reminds us that the ultimate reward for faithfulness is Jesus Himself, both now and eternally.