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Your Question:
What's the purpose of suffering?
Answer:
As a pastor, I've had the privilege of walking with many people through the valley of suffering. And I've come to realize that suffering is not just a random event, but rather a purposeful experience that can shape us into the image of Christ. Scripture teaches us that suffering is not something to be avoided, but rather something that can be used to teach us and refine us. As the Psalmist says, "He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him" (Ps. 126:6). Suffering has a way of stripping away our illusions and revealing our true character. It's in the midst of suffering that we're forced to confront our own weaknesses and limitations, and to rely on God's strength and wisdom. As the author of Hebrews says, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." But that death is not the end of the story; it's the beginning of a new life, one that's marked by a deeper understanding of God's character and a greater dependence on Him. As a Christian, I believe that suffering is not just a means to an end, but an end in itself. It's a way of participating in the sufferings of Christ, and of being conformed to His image. As Paul says, "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Rom. 8:18). In other words, the glory that awaits us is worth any amount of suffering we may endure in this life. And that's a truth that I've seen lived out in the lives of many believers who have walked through the darkest of times and emerged stronger and more radiant than ever before.
Sources:
on guard
william lane craig
confronting christianity
rebecca mclaughlin
depression
edward welch
sacred marriage
gary thomas
potters freedom
james white
job
francis andersen
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