What suffering are you carrying today? Is it grief that lingers, illness that drains, or a disappointment that has shaken your heart? Every one of us will walk through seasons of pain. But here is the good news: if you belong to Christ, you never walk through them alone.
The Christ-Centered Lens
We often measure God’s goodness by our circumstances—by whether we feel happy, healthy, and secure. But God’s Word teaches us to lift our eyes higher.
James 1:2 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” That doesn’t mean suffering is enjoyable. It isn’t. But it does mean suffering can be fruitful. Think of Joseph, Job, or Paul. Their pain became the very place God displayed His power and faithfulness.
Paul Tripp captures it so well:
“God is not shocked or surprised that you are discouraged. He knows your cries before you cry. He knew that you and I would be weak; that’s why He promised to be our strength.”
Even when life crumbles, God holds us steady. Even when we don’t understand His ways, His love never fails (Ps. 73; Isa. 63:9).
Why Am I Suffering?
We wrestle with questions in hard times:
- Why is this happening to me?
- Does God really care?
- What’s the point of praying?
But Romans 8 reminds us: God is sovereign, God is present, and God is at work. “In all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). And that “good” is defined in verse 29. He is shaping us into the image of Christ.
J.I. Packer put it this way:
“Our task is to take suffering in stride, not as if it is a pleasure (it isn’t), but in the knowledge that God will not let it overwhelm us and that He will use it, by His own supernatural alchemy, to three good ends, at least: our suffering produces character; our suffering glorifies God; our suffering fulfills the law of the harvest.”
This changes everything. Suffering is not wasted—it is redeemed.
God’s Purposes in Our Pain
Scripture shows us the many ways God uses trials for His glory and our good:
- To draw us closer to Christ and share in His sufferings (Phil. 3:10).
- To expose sin and lead us to repentance (Deut. 8:2).
- To deepen our love for the body of Christ (Rom. 12:15).
- To equip us to comfort others (2 Cor. 1:3–4).
- To stir our longing for Christ’s return (Rev. 21:4).
J.I. Packer adds:
“God uses chronic pain and weakness, along with other afflictions, as His chisel for sculpting our lives. Felt weakness deepens dependence on Christ for strength each day. The weaker we feel, the harder we lean. And the harder we lean, the stronger we grow spiritually… To live with your thorn uncomplainingly — that is, sweet, patient, and free in heart to love and help others, even though every day you feel weak — is true sanctification. It is true healing for the spirit. It is a supreme victory of grace.”
That is the beauty of grace: weakness is not failure—it’s the place where Christ’s power shines brightest (2 Cor. 12:9).
Anchored in Eternal Hope
Psalm 23 reminds us that the same Shepherd who leads us by still waters also leads us through the valley of deep darkness. We don’t wander there by accident. We are led there by His hand, for our good, for His glory, and for something better beyond the valley.
Charles Spurgeon lifts our eyes to eternity:
“As perfect health was our first happiness, so it will be our last and eternal happiness… heaven is perfection realized… and of man it shall be said, ‘his flesh is fresher than a child’s, and he has returned to the days of his youth.’”
What breathtaking hope! One day, every tear will be wiped away, every groan silenced, every sorrow undone (Rev. 21:4). Until that day, we cling to the promise that nothing—nothing—can separate us from the love of Christ (Rom. 8:35–39).
The Promise for Today
Christ did not suffer so that we would never suffer. He suffered so that our suffering would never be meaningless. Because He bore our sins, carried our sorrows, and conquered the grave, our trials are now woven into God’s eternal purposes.
The hope Christ gives is not only a future promise but a present reality. In Him, we can endure with faith. In Him, we can comfort others with the comfort we ourselves receive. In Him, we have joy that cannot be taken away.
Friend, your suffering is not wasted. It is not meaningless. It is not endured alone. In Christ, it is purposeful, redemptive, and filled with hope.
And one day, you will look back from glory and say: “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18).
Debbie Swindell 