Suffering Is Our Friend

Your perspective makes all the difference in the world, and it influences how you respond to problems at work, problems at home, problems with your health.

Paul says that as Christians we can rejoice even in tough times because we have hope and because we know that God is working in our lives. “We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance.” (Romans 5:3, NIV)

This gives us "PERSPECTIVE", doesn't it?.

Suffering can be productive! We should hold on to "suffering" as our "friend".. If your clothes were on fire and you don't feel anything, it's highly likely your whole body will become dust like charcoal. Suffering does accomplish something. Alot of us don't know that problems have a purpose. Your trials and difficulties are valuable. It’s easier to handle suffering when you know there is a purpose in it, that it is not just in vain. If you have a problem with this quote, you'll have to change your perspective of "suffering".

I have had the privilege of assisting in the delivery of all three of my children. I want to tell you, I saw the pain, sweat, grimmaces on my wife’s face, and I understand why they call it “labor.” But I also saw the expression on her face when the nurse laid that newborn, bundled baby in her arms. Her expression revealed that the effort and pain were all worth it! They produced a new life!

Now, what exactly does our suffering produce? First, Paul says our suffering produces perseverance (Romans 5:3). The Greek word for perseverance literally means “the ability to handle pressure.” That’s what perseverance is -- the ability to handle pressure, to hang in there, to never give up but to keep on keeping on. When we make it through a difficult time without giving up, our character and confidence are strengthened, enabling us to handle even more pressure when it comes in the future.

Next, Paul says perseverance produces character (Romans 5:4). This word occurs only six or seven times in the Bible, and it means “proven reliable.” God uses the problems in your life to produce perseverance and character. And internal character, not circumstances, produces joy.

Then, Paul says, character produces hope (Romans 5:4). Remember, in the Bible, the word hope doesn’t mean “I wish” or “I want.” It also doesn't mean "Why is this happening to me?" or "What is God up to now?". It means confidence in Christ’s power. Instead of destroying our hope, problems are designed to increase our hope!

No matter what it is, whether it is a problem you brought on yourself, or a problem other people brought on you or a problem from the devil, it’s still a problem that God allowed. If you're a Christian, nothing comes into your life by accident.

It’s vitally important that we grasp this fact -- there is a purpose behind our problems -- but it’s also important to understand that problems don’t automatically produce perseverance and character and hope. You may know people who went through tough times, but difficulty and pain didn’t produce any positive character in their lives. Instead they became bitter, angry and uptight.

Perseverance, character and hope are produced in us only when we choose the right attitude. And what is the right attitude? Joy is the right attitude. When we learn to rejoice in the problem, not for but in the problem, then God uses it for good in our lives.

James echoes Paul’s teaching on this subject: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:2-3, NIV). Notice again, joy comes “because you know.” It’s always a matter of perspective. James continues, “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (v. 4). If you're the kind of person that will not persevere, then you're expected to lack alot of things; even your perspective of the suffering you're enduring. God says those problems in your life are meant to produce maturity. But, often, people cease to mature because they do not accept the problems in their own lives.

No study of Christian joy would be complete without mentioning the book of Philippians. If you want to understand joy, read Philippians. Nineteen times in this short letter Paul talks about rejoicing and having joy. Mark those verses and meditate on them. Memorize some of them so God can use them to produce joy in your life.

By the way, do you know where Paul was when he wrote this joyful letter? He was in prison! We don’t usually think of prison as a place of rejoicing, but Paul had learned to be content in any situation, and his joy did not depend on his circumstances. Christians can be joyful in tough times because there is always hope, and because God's purpose is always greater than any problem!