Suffering

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you
1 Peter 5:10

As everyone grows older we get more experienced in life's matters. Whether it be job related, in ministry or in our families. Whether it's a situation, or we learn how to raise one child a little different than the other. As we face difficult situations daily, we exercise ourselves.

Tough problems prepare us for life's tough questions like; if God is loving, why does He allow suffering in the world? The answer biblically is clear: God did not introduce suffering to the world. Man's disobedience established suffer, the natural result of sin. But some of you may be thinking;

If we have committed our lives to God, why would he require  us to endure suffering? There are at least 3 reasons:
1. In our own suffering we identify with Jesus' suffering, and we don't even come close to the suffering He went through.
2. Through suffering God trains us. Whether through patience or that it causes us to learn a valuable life lesson.
3. Our suffering causes us to help and minister to others who have gone through the same problem or trial.

Suffering still hurts. But I think if we look at it as something we gain, something we get stronger with and know that God understands us, then it turns into a blessing, in that God loves you so much He chose to establish and grow you more like Him....through suffering