Entering Heaven through much tribulation...

Here's a warm encouragment for those dear souls struggling with sickness, persecution, doubt, or despair:

Christ (had to endure) a very great trial in the time of His agony; so God is wont to exercise His people with great trials. Christ met with great opposition in that work that He had to do; so believers are likely to meet with great opposition in running the race that is set before them. Christ, as man, had a feeble nature that was in itself very insufficient to sustain such a conflict, or to support such a load as was coming upon Him. So the saints have the same weak human nature, and beside that, great sinful infirmities that Christ (didn't have) which (puts) them under great disadvantages, and greatly enhance(s) the difficulty of their work. Those great tribulations and difficulties that were before Christ, were the way in which He was to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; so His followers must expect, "through much tribulation to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven." The cross was to Christ the way to the crown of glory, and so it is to His disciples.

-Jonathan Edwards in his sermon, Christ's Agony