In these hard and darker days, I often hear and read two different attitudes from sincere believers. One attitude is that things will get worse and worse in the great tribulation and then Jesus will come and we'll all go home. The second is that God will pour out His Spirit and there will be a great revival during these dark days that will transform the world.
I prefer Paul's attitude. In the midst of his great ministry work and a powerful prophetic and miraculous ministry and in the midst of great personal suffering and affliction through imprisonment, shipwreck, stonings, beatings and hunger he declared that it is far better to depart and be with Jesus. That was the compelling desire of his heart. And yet, he said he would remain for the sake of his brother and sisters progress and joy in the faith.
Is it possible that this should be the attitude of all the saints?
It is rare for me to encounter believers who share Paul's attitude toward Jesus and towards the church and towards his own life in this world. Because the Holy Spirit includes Paul's attitude in these verses in the Scripture addressed to encourage a suffering church, I suspect it is God's intention that all believers should have this attitude and perspective in days of darkness and suffering.
God has a plan. All He does or allows is good, including our suffering. If it pleases Him, I embrace the plan no matter what it is. If we must remain and suffer for the sake of others, God be praised. His pleasure is my own.
But at the root, it is far better to depart and be with Jesus. I'm afraid there are many whose desire not to suffer in this life is far stronger than their love to depart and be with Jesus and in their love to remain through suffering for His bride and body. A revival of Paul's attitude for Jesus and His attitude towards His church would seem to me to be the order of the day. A strong sacrificial church compelled by the love for Jesus and the love for Jesus' body would bring God great glory and would see the saints through any difficulty or darkness. I would also be salt and light to the world and they would question us about the hope we have within.