Suffering Well Pt. 2

When life gets hard, our instinct is to run. We want out of the difficulty, away from the pain, free from the struggle. We pray desperate prayers for escape, for rescue, for immediate relief. And if we're honest, we sometimes wonder why God doesn't respond the way we think He should.

But what if suffering isn't something to simply escape? What if there's a profound purpose woven into the fabric of our pain?

The Parent We Want God to Be

Consider how we view parenting. We instinctively know that parents who rescue their children from every difficulty create adults who can't navigate the real world. We understand that struggle builds character, that challenge develops strength, that difficulty teaches lessons nothing else can.

Yet we want God to be that overprotective parent we know is wrong.

We want Him to swoop in at the first sign of trouble, to cushion every fall, to prevent every tear. We pray, "God, right now—get me out of this!" as if His love is measured by His willingness to eliminate all discomfort from our lives.

But God is a perfect parent. He knows what to allow, how long to allow it, and what He's building in us through it.

Christian Suffering: Not Meaningless, But Meaningful

Christian suffering is the experience of trials, pain, and hardship that God allows in the life of a believer to deepen their faith, refine their character, and draw them closer to Christ. It's not a sign of God's absence but an opportunity to encounter His grace and power in ways we never could otherwise.

The Apostle Paul understood this truth deeply. In Romans 5, he writes something that might make us uncomfortable:

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ... 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."

Read that again. We rejoice in our sufferings. Not because we're masochists or because we enjoy pain, but because we understand what suffering produces in us that we can't get any other way.

Want to be strong? You don't get strong in easy times. You get strong when you endure through difficulty.

Want character? Character is forged in the fire of hardship, not in the comfort of ease.
Want hope? Hope is the fruit that grows from endurance and character.

The Review We're Giving

Think about shopping online. Most of us check the reviews before purchasing something. We trust the experiences of others who've already tried the product.

In a similar way, how we navigate suffering is like our review of God to a watching world. People aren't just looking at what we claim about God—they're watching how we go through hard things.

Do you give God a five-star review only when He comes through on your timetable? Or does your life demonstrate that He's worthy of trust even in the waiting, even in the pain, even when the miracle hasn't manifested yet?

The world doesn't need more Christians promising that faith means a pain-free life. That's not believable, and it's not biblical. What the world desperately needs is to see believers who have found a friend closer than a brother in the midst of their suffering—someone who brings comfort, strength, and hope when everything else falls apart.

Christ's Suffering Redeems Ours

Here's the beautiful truth: Jesus didn't just suffer so we wouldn't have to. He suffered so that when we do suffer, He can say, "I understand."

Isaiah 53 tells us: "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows... he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."

Jesus entered fully into human suffering. He was rejected, betrayed, abandoned, mocked, and tortured. He knows what it feels like to cry out and wonder if anyone is listening. He's acquainted with grief. He's a man of sorrows.

And because of this, our suffering is no longer meaningless. Through Christ, every trial, every hardship, every tear has purpose. Romans 8:28 promises that "for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

All things. Even suffering. Even pain. Even the things that make no sense to us right now.

The Gift of Empathy

One of the most powerful truths about suffering is found in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

God comforts us in our affliction, not just from it. He's present in the pain. And the comfort He gives us becomes the comfort we can offer others.

Your suffering equips you to minister to others in ways that someone who hasn't walked that path simply cannot. Your testimony isn't just about the miracle—it's about the presence of God you experienced while you waited for it.

How to Suffer Well

So how do we navigate suffering in a way that honors God and transforms us?

First, be present with your pain. Don't numb it, distract yourself from it, or pretend it doesn't exist. Ignoring pain doesn't heal it. If you're confused, be confused in God's presence. If you're angry, be angry with Him. If you're sad, be sad with Him. He can handle your honesty.

Second, invite Jesus into your pain. Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." He doesn't stay distant from your wounds—He chooses to enter them. Let Him in.

Third, allow suffering to connect you more deeply with Christ. First Peter 4:12-13 says, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings."

Don't be surprised when your faith is tested. Don't act shocked when you go through hard things. Instead, recognize these moments as opportunities to know Jesus more intimately.
Finally, live in the awareness of Jesus' empathetic love. No one will ever understand you like Jesus. No one will ever care about you the way He does. He's not distant or disconnected from your pain—He's bearing it with you.

You Are Not Alone

If you're in a season of suffering right now, hear this truth: You are not alone. Jesus sees your pain—all of it. Every tear, every ache, every moment when you've felt abandoned. He's been there with you.

Your suffering will not be wasted. What you bring to Him, He will use for good. He will weave it into a story of grace, love, and redemption.

Trust Him. He is with you, He loves you, and He will not let your pain have the final word.