Col 1:24-26  "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,  of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints." 

There is a certain type of joy that comes from suffering in the midst of accomplishing good in other peoples lives. This is magnified when the joy comes from both the activity and from an inner sense of being at one with the purposes of God. In what I am doing I am completing, on behalf of the Christ who died for me, what He wants to fulfill in the lives of others. It is not that anything was lacking in what He accomplished in the sufferings He endured in His fleshly body. It is that there is a Spiritual Body of all those He is calling to Himself that goes on now and is fully completed when He returns in the flesh. 
I am given the ministry as a steward to suffer on your behalf in the power and grace of God given me by the risen Christ. My mission is to give the message of the Word of God in all fullness in every place He leads me to go. He is Absolute Love, He is the eternal Word, He is Yahweh. This is the mystery of God's grace and glory, hidden and misunderstood but now revealed to all who would place themselves in His hand by faith. 
To all of them, the choice of God was to make known how great, glorious and manifestly rich He is in Love , Mercy and Grace. This mystery is that we share in that glory and have hope to attain it through Jesus Christ Himself taking up residence in us.

Col 1:27  "To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. "

His presence indwelling us by the Spirit is what causes us to proclaim Him. Compelling and warning everyone of His gracious offer of forgiveness and the folly of being unrepentant. The wisest persons in the end are those who give up all to follow Him. This giving up is giving up all things that hinder us from being obedient to God, becoming mature in becoming like Jesus Christ in obedience. 

Col 1:28  "Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ."

So this work of bringing the good news of who Jesus Christ is and what His accomplishment means for those   who follow is worth the hard work. I struggle with every ounce of energy to keep at the task, because all this energy is His power giving me the fortitude and strength to keep on task. 
The result of this struggle is to encourage and unite the hearts of all of you, being full of certainty and assurance in the knowledge of what God has revealed. It is all about Jesus Christ. All culminates in knowing Him and through Him receiving the wisdom of God. Knowing what a treasure it is to belong to and be in full fellowship with God. 

Col 1:29-2:3  "For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,  that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ,  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." 


I tell you all of this so you don't get off track from following God. You need to fill yourself up with he knowledge of Christ and the wisdom of fellow-shipping with God, so you don't fall by some clever argument that gives you the delusion that there is a different way to go. You won't fall by some desire to seek life in any other promise. It is a lie. 

Col 2:4  I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 

Even though I am not with you, I am always thinking of you and am with you in spirit. My joy is found in what God does in your life and the evidence of your standing in the strength of Jesus Christ. So just as you received Him joyfully, walk in His grace and power. Don't wander away, but stay planted and grow in Christ. He will establish you in your faith. Keep to the teachings of the Word and what you have been taught of Jesus Christ, always He will provide an overflow of being thankful.  

Col 2:5-7  "For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.  Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."