There are a few different reasons how our suffering can turn out for good. Sometimes it’s really hard to see it, especially if our suffering involves ‘health foods’. I will be going over four reasons how our suffering can turn out for good. Previously I went over sanctification – making us more like Christ. The second reason is summed up nicely in this verse
2 Corinthians 1:3-4. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
This basically says after we grow from our suffering, we can then help someone who is going through something similar.
Let’s say you went through a bad breakup and because of it, your faith and perseverance grew. Now when you run into someone who is in the middle of a bad breakup, you will be able to comfort them in the same way God comforted you. Whatever you’re going through, you’ll be able to help someone in a similar situation down the line. People always seem to listen more to someone they know lived through it.
Even though I might be the greatest Christian ever (or at least the greatest Christian with a life-sized cut out of Raphael from the 80’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies), I might not be the best one to console someone through dealing with cancer, or job loss or divorce.
People can easily say that I don’t understand what they’re going through. However, if someone else had gone through those things, they would have the tools I don’t. You’d be able to tell them how you felt, the different stages you went through, the hardships you faced, and certain verses that helped certain feelings. You’ll be able to connect with them on a personal level and not just as someone throwing Bible verses at them.
Your hardships become your ministry. Through suffering, God is growing your own personal ministry.
So what do we do?
1. Give Thanks that God is Sanctifying You. As with all suffering, we must first give thanks because God is growing Christ-like traits in us.
2. See Your Growth as a Minister. Thank God that you can then be used by God to sanctify others because of this growth.
3. Go Out and Minister. Then look for those going through hardships similar to what you went through and pass along the comfort God gave you.
And if you want to intentionally try to go grow through suffering, only eat what people consider ‘health foods’. Only the comfort that comes from God will be able to get you through.
Today’s Passage
2 Corinthians 1:3-4. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
Take time to pray. Thank God for turning our suffering into ministry. Today’s fruit of the spirit: Patience. Patience through your suffering so that you can see growth and then use that same growth for ministry.