LET ME GET THIS RIGHT, SUFFERING CAN BE A GOOD THING?

SCRIPTURE:
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know 
that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; 
and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God 
has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom 
He has given us.  
(Romans 5:3-5)

MEDITATION:
What kind of disappoints have you had in your life?
Sometimes we buy things that disappoint us due to their poor quality.
Sometimes people disappoint us, either because they do not meet our 
expectations, or because they betrayed our trust, or because they did 
some things that they knew they should not do, or because they failed 
to keep promise, or (fill in the blank).

Wouldn’t it be nice to have at least one thing that will not disappoint you?
The scriptures tell us that ‘hope’ will NEVER disappoint us.
So what do we need to do to acquire the hope mentioned in God’s Word?
First of all, we need to rejoice in our sufferings.
Of course the sufferings themselves are not reasons for rejoicing, 
but thinking about the benefits of suffering is the reason to rejoice.

Sufferings can be an illness that we are going through, 
or that we see a loved one dealing with. 
We can also suffer from situations in our life (loss of a job; 
pressure of a job; finances; marital issues; worrying about 
the bad choices of a loved one; loss of a loved one; etc.).

Sometimes suffering goes away quickly,
but at other times it can last for a long time.
When we endure it for a long time and cannot do anything to alieve it, 
it develops patience in us as we wait (and hopefully pray a lot) for the 
situation to improve.

According to God’s Word, patience (perseverance) 
is a virtue that builds character in us.
This godly character is what opens the door to hope.
When we are struggling, 
hope in the Lord is the only light we can see at the end of the tunnel.

He is the One Who can “get us through” our times of suffering.
One of the ways He helps us endure suffering 
is to pour His love into our hearts.
He does this through the Holy Spirit, who inhabits the lives 
of those who have placed their hope in the Lord.

Just as athletes work their muscles in order to gain strength, 
when believers are tested, they can gain strength for resisting temptations.
Through suffering, we discover that the Lord is with us, 
and we have hope that He will also be with us when we are tempted.

ACTION:
Have you been through a time of suffering lately?
Maybe you are struggling with a situation right now.
In either case, have you discovered the benefits of suffering?
We can sink into a state of depression, 
or we can look at our situation as a time of growth.

It doesn’t mean that we like the situation, but when we consider the benefits, 
we can persevere, develop a godly character, and experience a new hope.
We have to make sure that we do not allow anger, depression, frustrations, 
isolation, or hardheadedness to rob us of an opportunity for growth.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, You know what I need most in my life. You also know 
how much I dislike suffering of any kind. Thank You for explaining to me 
the benefits of suffering. Now I know that I can not only endure, but I can 
become a better person at the end of the bad times. Jesus, I pray that I will 
remember Your example whenever I am tempted.”