The best thing about suffering, is that it changes us
Suffering is one of life’s most difficult realities. It feels heavy, overwhelming, and at times unbearable. But what if suffering serves a deeper purpose? What if the trials we face are not just moments of pain but opportunities for growth, grace, and a closer relationship with God?
The Bible makes one thing clear: suffering is not meaningless. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:5, “As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.” God allows suffering, not to destroy us, but to shape us and draw us nearer to Him.
Suffering prepares the heart for Grace
Trials carve out space in our hearts for God’s grace to flow. Think of suffering as a spade digging into the hardened soil of our lives. When life is comfortable, we often rely on ourselves, but suffering breaks that illusion. It creates a hunger for God’s comfort and presence.
The deeper the trial, the greater the capacity for God’s grace. It’s in our lowest moments that we truly experience His strength, peace, and love. Without suffering, we might never know the depth of His consolation.
God balances suffering with comfort
God doesn’t allow suffering to overwhelm us without also providing His comfort. Imagine a set of scales: as suffering increases on one side, God’s comfort rises on the other. His promise in 2 Corinthians 1:5 assures us that His consolation abounds as our trials grow.
This balance is a reflection of God’s faithfulness. He doesn’t leave His children to endure pain alone.
Suffering draws us closer to God
When everything is going well, it’s easy to drift from God. But when trials come, they push us back into His arms. Like a child running to their parent in fear, suffering reminds us of our dependence on Him.
The psalmist wrote, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!” (Psalm 130:1). Suffering strips away distractions and shows us our need for a Savior. It forces us to focus on what truly matters, our relationship with God.
Suffering builds compassion and strength
Deep trials produce deep roots of faith. Those who endure suffering gain a greater capacity to empathize with others and to share God’s comfort. The scars of our struggles often become the tools God uses to comfort others.
As believers, we’re not just called to endure suffering but to use it for His Glory. Your greatest hardships can become your greatest testimony of God’s grace.
God uses suffering to keep us close
Without suffering, we are prone to wander. Like a horse that leaps over fences, our hearts are quick to chase after the world’s distractions. God uses trials to tether us to Him, to remind us that He is our anchor.
Suffering may feel heavy, but it’s often the very weight that keeps us grounded in Him. As Spurgeon beautifully said, “God would rather clog His children with affliction than lose them to the world.”
1 Question for you
The question is: What’s your trial teaching you and how is God using it to transform you?
Suffering has a way of breaking down what doesn’t matter and revealing what does. It forces you to ask, What am I leaning on? and Where is my hope coming from?
You can let pain push you away from God, or you can let it pull you closer. The choice is always yours.
As John Bunyan said, “It is said that in some countries trees will grow, but will bear no fruit because there is no winter there.” Suffering, like winter, may feel cold and harsh, but it prepares us for the fruit of God’s grace. Your winter isn’t wasted.