Suffering--God's Good Gift

Suffering is a gift from God--a love gift, a good gift. It is His training in righteousness; His loving discipline as your Father--evidence that you belong to Him--and that He is delighted that you do. Always His purpose in suffering is transformation. As you encounter various trials, He deepens your understanding experientially of His love, wisdom, and patience, and you are molded into His likeness. He knows that the trials themselves are not "joyous," but the impact on your life is immeasurably beautiful--the fruit of the Spirit radiating from your life. We can in the midst of all things "rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice." "The joy of the Lord is your strength."
It is instructive that the first written communication from God to man--the book of Job--emphasizes the truth that the godly suffer. Job's friends believed that all suffering was because of someone's sin and that the greater the suffering the greater the sin must be. God was angered at that view. Satan's view was that if he could make us suffer that we would turn from God, deny Him. God's view was that Job was strong enough to remain faithful. God was right. His "vote of confidence" in Job was justified. And what truths enabled Job's faith to remain strong in the most difficult of times?

"Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him."

"I know that my Redeemer lives and in my flesh I shall see God."

"He knows the way that I take and when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

See suffering as God sees it. A time of deepening your understanding of His love. A time when your Father is transforming you into His likeness. A time when He is reminding you that you are His child, that your growth is extremely important to Him and vital to your relationship. A time when He is giving you His vote of confidence that your love for Him will be steadfast in all things.

Suffering is a gift from God--your Father. A love gift. A good gift. A reflection of His confidence in you. "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice."