Good News! Suffering is not just a painful miserable experience with no benefit, but there are some hidden treasures to be gained from every encounter with suffering. Here are the Top Ten Reasons you should be thankful for having to Suffer!
1) To Learn A Lesson:
“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;“ (Hebrews 5:8)
2) To Reflect God’s Nature:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
3) To Know Christ Intimately:
“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” (Philippians 3:8-10)
4) To Appreciate the Things of God:
“And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.” (Mark 8:31-33)
5) To Be Used By God:
“And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.” (Acts 5:41)
6) To Inherit Blessings:
“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:17)
7) To Partake In Spreading The Gospel
“For the which cause I also sufferthese things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12)
8) To Offer a New Perception of Life
“Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;”(Hebrews 11:25)
9) To Experience Overcoming Sin
“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;” (1 Peter 4:1)
10) To Provide a Refuge in Christ
“For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18)
