I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
(Philippians 3:10-11 NIV)
I believe that the resurrection referred to here isn’t just something physical that will take place when Jesus comes again. Rather, it’s something that Christians experience whenever God restores life to their dead dreams, hopes or circumstances. And oftentimes, God allows us to go through this kind of death to give us a taste of His own resurrection power.
The apostle Paul wanted to experience that power, and who doesn’t? But even the great apostle realized that in order to know the power of the resurrection, he had to participate in Christ’s sufferings. Just as Christ suffered, died and came back to life, His followers must be willing to accept the sufferings of this life in order to know and experience the power of His resurrection.
There can be no resurrection where there has been no death.
Rising with the Son 