How Can I Understand Suffering in My Own Life?

“Can we wish, if it were possible, to walk a path strewed with flowers when His was strewed with thorns?” -John Newton

Suffering in our own lives gives us the opportunity to follow the example of Christ. We can take comfort in the fact that Jesus Christ himself was tempted, resisted, and now is glorified forever in heaven.

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. -Hebrews 2:17-18

Another way to look at our own sufferings is to understand that by going through these hardships God is preparing us to minister to others who are suffering. We've all been there--remembering the pain of our own past experiences and being given the opportunity to minister to a friend suffering the same trial.

Do you also find that you spend more time in prayer and devotion when things are going bad? This is another way that God brings us closer to him in times of crisis—we communicate with him usually more when things are going badly than when they are going well.

But even if our sufferings should lead us to death, God can still use our lives as an example to others of how to live for God’s glory. For a real life example from neighboring town Sanborn, Iowa of a life and death suffered for the glory of God, read the Cella Bosma Caring Bridge site.

So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. -Acts 5:41