Hope in Suffering

It doesn’t take a lot of time on this Earth to realize this fact to be true: suffering is inevitable. I think one of the most common questions I hear from non-believers is that ‘if God is such a loving God, why is there so much suffering on Earth?’. It’s a valid question to ask if you’re skeptical about faith in Jesus Christ. If God loves me as much as people say He does, why am I experiencing illness, or heartbreak, or loss, or trauma, or fear? I love the book of Romans because it talks about pain and difficulties, and why we are asked to endure it.

I am someone who loves to go running. If you’ve ever trained for a sport or worked out at all you can relate to this. When I am working out, it is tough. My legs hurt, my breathing gets heavy, I am sweaty. In the moment, training to run is not always the most fun thing. But I have to experience that pain to strengthen my muscles and improve my endurance. The same is true with suffering on Earth. We are asked to endure difficult things to refine us and strengthen our character. Is it always fun in the moment? Absolutely not, but we are being refined and improved as children of God in preparation for the things He has called us to do. Romans 5 says this:

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character and character produces hope.” Romans 5:3-4 (ESV)

But as much as we can gain through our seasons of trial, it doesn’t always make it easy in the middle of the storm. In Romans 8, we as Christians are given tools to help us remain hopeful in those difficult times. Romans 8:26 says the Sprit of God is with us in our times of weakness and is there in times where our pain is so much we can’t even put into words the way we are feeling. The comfort of the Holy Spirit through trials is a reminder to us that we are not alone if we have accepted Christ into our lives. Just when it feels like it is too difficult to continue to put one foot in front of the other, invite God to meet you in that dark place and take comfort in the fact that He is by your side through it all. You can have hope, then, in those difficulties that your character is being refined and your reward in Heaven will be great.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is revealed to us” Romans 8:18 (ESV)