Hope

Our suffering can be a source of hope to others.

By no means are we a substitute for God, but we do serve as his ambassadors. A Christian counselor David Powlison once said, " Although God alone is the blazing sun, we can be a 3-watt night light." In darkness even a tiny light can bring hope.

The fact that we've come through suffering may comfort those who don't even know us; indeed, it may help someone long after we've died. Who is being, and will be, touched by your suffering that you won't know about until eternity?

People hear the gospel best when it comes from those who have known difficulty. In 1 Corinthians 9:22, Paul says, "To the weak I became weak, to win the weak" Our suffering makes Jesus visible to the world. Our faithful suffering gives others courage to speak up for Jesus.

Suffering creates a sphere of influence for Christ that we couldn't otherwise have. E. Stanley Jones wrote, "Don't bear trouble, use it. Take whatever happens--justice and injustice, pleasure and pain, compliment and criticism...take it up into purpose of your life and make something out of it. Turn it into testimony."

Suffering gives us a way to credibily demonstrate the love of Christ. Larry Waters says, "How the believer deals with undeserved suffering may be the primary witness of God's goodness, justice, grace and love not only to the sufferer, but to a nonbelieving world."

Suffering gives family and friends who become caregivers an opportunity for character growth. In some cases it's not the sufferers but those around them who benefit most.

When I consider how both my parents' deteriorated at the end of their lives, I might argue that it wasn't worth it. Although at times I saw a clear spiritual impact in each situation. Through my parents' weakness, I grew in character, compassion, and love. Suppose I could ask my parents now, in the presence of Christ, "Were your suffering and your final years of indignity worth the character growth it brought about in you, me, and your grandsons and friends, and worth your and your family's spiritual impact on others, including caregivers? I can picture them, on the streets of gold, smiling and nodding emphatically.

A Romanian pastor Josef Tson once said, "The gospel will never be spread without someone suffering."

While it would be nice if our suffering would cease, we know God is more concerned with our souls and character than our comfort and happiness.

Blessings,
Dalinda