Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
(1 Peter 4:19 NKJV)
We’ve all been there. The illness that disrupts our daily lives. The financial meltdown. The darkness of depression. The heartache of abandonment. The grief over a precious loved one. Nobody likes suffering, and we don’t want it to last one minute longer than possible.
But it is in our suffering that we grow. We are refined. We mature and blossom.
Consider the suffering of Job. He lost all his livestock, all his children, all but one servant and a wife with messed up theology. Not to mention three friends he probably wanted to lose.
We are privy to the agreement between Satan and God, but Job never knew why he suffered so dramatically. Even after God restored everything to Job twofold, God never explained the reason behind his trauma. Job never knew the devil was betting he would turn his back on God.
All the while, God knew how much Job could handle because God was Job’s strength. God was the rock Job leaned on, and God was Job’s strength when he was weak.
Sweet sister, God is our strength too. He is also our rock and our backbone. But we are such pampered Christians. We expect smooth sailing. When life takes a detour onto a bumpy road, we want off that road immediately! Do we ever consider that this road is part of God’s will? The detour is for our good and God’s glory. The detour is refining us. The detour is making us stronger. The detour will equip us to serve God better.
Friend, those possibilities pass through my mind, and I toss God’s will into my prayers almost grudgingly. Perhaps you have it together more than me. Yet, I have experienced the blessing of suffering. I still struggle to admit that God is using my pain for some unknown benefit.
We know God’s thoughts are higher than ours, and His ways loftier than ours. Upon reading Job, we realize that we are clueless about what originates in the heavenlies.
Yet, we can agree with the Apostle Paul:
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28 NKJV)
Paul lived with a thorn in his flesh. We don’t know what the thorn was, but today it could be your thorn. It could be mine. The blessing of Paul’s suffering was so great that Paul boasted in it. He rejoiced because when he was weak, he was made strong by God.
God is the same source for our strength. The same strength for any suffering.
God never allows suffering apart from blessing.
So, before we pray our suffering away, consider that we may be forfeiting our blessing. Although we’d rather avoid the suffering, we cherish the blessing.
Lord God, I don’t understand this trial, but I can trust You. You are faithful. I know You will work it all together for my good and Your glory. Give me the same strength You gave Job and Paul. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
DIG DEEPER
HIKING THE TRAIL
How have you seen blessing arise out of suffering? How do you view your suffering? Do today’s verses change your perspective? Since suffering has a direct connection to blessing, which of the following should you gain during trials: peace, hope, stronger faith, or wisdom?
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Originally posted on October 5, 2020 @ 3:00 am