This is Part 5 of 5 parts answering the question, “Suffering: What are the Benefits of the Suffering God Allows?” in the larger question, “Why does a loving God allow suffering?”

Good Can Come From Suffering

Every member of the human race will suffer in some way and while it is never enjoyable, the Bible teaches us that our trials can produce good. God loves us because He IS love. He loves His creation, but it defied His Word by sinning.

Fortunately, God can restore all things and will make all wrongs right when He removes sin from the world.

Even though God hates sin, He can never tempt, abandon, or hate anyone. He is always within the reach of our cry for help during our suffering. He has sent the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) to reassure us in the midst of our trials, and formed the Body of Christ to provide consolation by being His hands and feet. Just as Jesus wept over Lazarus’ death, so He weeps over our anguish because of its ultimate cause – the entrance of sin into the world. Our responsibility is to uphold each other as we go through our trials. Continue reading →

This is Part 4 of 5 parts answering the question, “Suffering: What are the Benefits of the Suffering God Allows?” in the larger question, “Why does a loving God allow suffering?” Part 5 will be posted tomorrow.

Godly Responses During Suffering Manifest Glory

The key in suffering is to respond rather than react. If you put on the Lord Jesus Christ and arm yourself spiritually for the battle, you’ll overcome, Continue reading →

This is Part 3 of 5 parts answering the question, “Suffering: What are the Benefits of the Suffering God Allows?” in the larger question, “Why does a loving God allow suffering?” Parts 4-5 will be posted on succeeding days.

Suffering Can Be Preventative

Suffering can be preventative when it keeps a person from making poor decisions or perpetuating wrong thinking. It’s like a warning light on the dashboard of a car. The light is not the problem, but warns of a problem in the car so that appropriate action can be taken and further harm can be avoided. In the same way, suffering can warn about the consequences of further sin and potential suffering. Larry Waters expertly writes about how the book of Job demonstrates this, Continue reading →

This is Part 2 of 5 parts answering the question, “What are the Benefits of the Suffering God Allows?” in the larger question, “Why does a loving God allow suffering?” Parts 3-5 will be posted on succeeding days.

Suffering Reveals Human Weakness

The fact that suffering reveals human weakness many not seem like a good thing, until you recognize that only God has all strength and He never designed us to independent of it. If fact, just the opposite is true. He desires that we be dependent upon Him for all situations. Paul wrote, Continue reading →

This is Part 1 of 5 parts answering the question, “What are the benefits of the suffering God allows?” in the larger question, “Why does a loving God allow suffering?” Parts 2-5 will be posted on succeeding days. 

Although suffering produces pain and anguish, it actually has benefits that you’ll miss if you focus only on the pain itself. If you get a “bird’s eye” view of it you’ll see that there are many benefits to suffering, yet in the intensity of the pain, they are often not easy to see. What are some of the benefits of suffering? Continue reading →