Ephesians 3. Verse 13

¹³ Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.  source 

He actually asked them to NOT lose heart? Like that was an option for them?

And it was. And it is. And why was it? And why is it? 
Do you see that word, THEREFORE? Long ago I was counseled when I read the word THEREFORE in Scripture that I should immediately ask why is that word THEREFORE, there for? 
So, I do.
To get the reason for the therefore in verse 13 we need to back up to verse 8 and read again through verse 13. Here’s a link for you to do that. Ephesians 3:8-13

A sentence that spans 5 verses. He has written longer sentences.

And then he prays for them. And what a prayer! 

Ephesians 3:14-19  (AMP) ¹⁴ For this reason [grasping the greatness of this plan by which Jews and Gentiles are joined together in Christ] I bow my knees [in reverence] before the Father [of our Lord Jesus Christ], 
¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name [God—the first and ultimate Father]. 
¹⁶ May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], 
¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, 
¹⁸ be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; 
¹⁹ and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].  source 

So Christ may DWELL in your hearts.
Don’t miss that.
Don’t just breeze over it.
DWELL. It means what it says. 

HOLY SPIRIT, please help us believe this DWELL.
Believe it so much that we MAKE ROOM for HIM to dwell and live and DO in us. 

And I see in this that if we receive, accept, and believe that GOD LOVES US, I mean REALLY loves us, then tribulation does not cower us in fear or steal our faith or our joy.
If we are going to BELIEVE GOD, the first and most crucial fact we must believe is THAT HE LOVES US ALWAYS AND FOREVER. 

I’m just gonna put my name on that and accept that HOLY SPIRIT is going to answer this prayer on my behalf just as much for me as He did the Ephesians. 
You too?