Suffering causes our focus to turn inward, to face those parts of ourselves we might otherwise ignore. God can use suffering then to develop us into better people: the people who can love and enjoy Him forever (Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4).
The cross is God's ultimate response to the brokenness of humanity – and that includes your pain and suffering. He walks through every season of life with you, seeing that exhaustion and frustration life can bring, reminding you that He is so compassionate towards you that He's already responded.
The practical response is to show compassion to people who are suffering, offer those people help and trust that God will deliver an answer to the problem. An example of this is intercessionary prayers, which are prayers asking for God's help for people in need.
Response 1 Christians believe that God wants them to help people who are suffering. They can do this by praying for those who are suffering, or by helping those who are suffering – for example through a Christian charity. Response 2 Christians believe that evil and suffering are not God's fault.
Each time you face a difficult situation at home or work, pray, “Lord, I offer this to you for the sake of [insert name].” Each time you suffer a small cut, or perhaps a sore throat, bear it willingly and say, “Lord, I offer this sacrifice to you for [insert name].”
The Reality of Suffering We see in Jesus an approach to suffering that is not avoidance; rather he responds in love, acknowledging and entering into the suffering of others. He experiences grief, rejection, humiliation and ridicule. He opens himself to hatred and hostility, persecu- tion and threats on his life.
God wrestles with our sufferings; he cares when we suffer. God's wrestling with our suf- fering is imbedded in the suffering Christ en- dured which is beyond all understanding. He bore the punishment of the sins of the whole world.
Suffering can make us more resilient, better able to endure hardships. Just as a muscle, in order to build up, must endure some pain, so our emotions must endure pain in order to strengthen.
When we are suffering, God is right beside us. Nothing can separate us from His love. He wants to show us His love through His church, and give us a purpose through His Word!
“Clothe yourself with honor and majesty. Pour out your anger to overflowing, And look on everyone who is proud, and make him low. Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him, and tread down the wicked where they stand.” Job will find the task impossible.
Sometimes when bad things happen, they empower us to act and serve. Even the Savior, our example, suffered infirmities, “that his bowels may be filled with mercy” and so that He could know “how to succor his people” (Alma 7:12). Trials can open our eyes to those who are suffering.
The Gift of Suffering
Scripture says “it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” Belief in Christ is a precious gift, one that we joyfully receive. But suffering for His sake? This seems to be a gift that is best left unopened.
1 Peter 5:10 - After your season of suffering.
Romans 5:1-5
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Jesus overcame suffering, not by avoiding it but by suffering Himself. He suffered the torture of being nailed to the cross. He also suffered being rejected by the very people He came to help.
Jesus understands and can sympathize with our suffering. Jesus understands our suffering because He suffered in our place. In Isaiah 53:5-9, we read of Jesus' suffering on our behalf. He was wounded, bruised, chastised, and whipped for our sins.
If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
Rev. 21 Verses 1 to 4
He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; [4] he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.
Suffering leads to hope.
And yet, Paul said, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4).
We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. – Romans 5:2-5.
Let me share with you five of the many New Testament truths that I came across about why the suffering of Christians is not a curse, but a blessing! The ability to endure suffering, that results in a proven character that is indicative of the assurance of our hope in God that His promises are real.
Not only is God aware of our pain, but He sees our most heartbreaking moments and hears the sound of every gut-wrenching cry. He sees, He hears and He cares. Yet the sound of our weeping doesn't cause Him to recoil in disgust.
Offering up our suffering is a powerful way to become like Christ and love others as He loves them. Becoming like Christ and loving like He does is what we were created to do. We are called to love in a radical way, like the divine Son. We are able to love this way because of grace—the gift of Jesus in our lives.
God uses suffering to purge sin from our lives, strengthen our commitment to him, force us to depend on his grace, bind us together with other believers, produce discernment, foster sensitivity, discipline our minds, impart wisdom, stretch our hope, cause us to know Christ better, make us long for truth, lead us to ...
The Bible teaches that God's sovereignty is an essential aspect of who he is, that he has supreme authority and absolute power over all things. And yes he is very much active, despite our perplexity. Scripture says, God works “all things according to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11).