December 2 - Perfect Through Sufferings

This post is from our new contributor: Jalamadreamer. Thanks for joining!!!

The book says that great characters are made by suffering. So many people agonize over the idea of why there is suffering and evil in this world. What if we were to tell them it is to God's glory and one way he manifests this glory is by refining us until we are people with Godly character? I don't think this is the answer we are looking for. But it is true, isn't it? Sadly, for many years of my own life, the deepest part of me felt like this life is a sort of cruel game. On some level, I knew it was to God's glory, but what could that possibly really mean? A few years ago, I realized that I don't see it this way anymore. I can't pinpoint why, but it has something to do with trust. Trusting God at his word. Not having to understand the whys of everything. He has pretty much taken away my desire to know more than He offers for us to know. The peace that has come with this has been most appreciated!

When people ask about my cancer situation this past year and have I figured out how God has used it for good, it is difficult to answer. Not because it hasn't been used for good in many obvious ways, but because it is difficult to put into words what surgery our most blessed Lord is doing deep within our very being. He changes us with a scalpel and it seems He often uses pain to bring healing.

In Spurgeon's devotions, he deals a lot with trials, pain and suffering. As you are reading, he almost makes you feel like you are God's most precious lamb if you are suffering much. He cares for us through our suffering, but I think it might go farther-- He gives us suffering because He cares for us.

For those of you who don't know me, I want to be clear that I don't think we should be the ones to bring on any additional suffering and we can rejoice in the deep breath we can take in times of ease. He gives us these times, also.

Let's pray that our character is built by suffering and that we will never turn to bitterness. Also that we will have compassion on others who are suffering.