02/07/2024
God Can Use Your Suffering
When you suffer, especially over a long time, it can feel as though the time when you should have been living a normal life is being stolen from you. If you look at moments like this as having no purpose, it will add to your sense of suffering. But instead, you can invite God to use your suffering to bring something good out of the bad.
Seeing God at work in suffering can bring you joy and hope amid the pain and hardship. Sometimes, God uses suffering to bring you closer to Him. He can also use it to increase your faith or refine your character. Often, He uses it to increase your compassion and ability to care for others who are suffering — both those suffering generally and those suffering in similar ways to you.
When God comforts you in your suffering, you will be able to comfort others in the same way. The apostle Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament of the Bible, discussed this in his second letter to Christians in Corinth.
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
Even if your suffering is not over yet, walking through a painful experience with someone else can be a great blessing for both of you.
