It's a God Thing

    Why do we have to suffer through things in our life?  Is it just to get thru it or is there a purpose?  Suffering is a 'God thing' that is allowed to produce in us perseverance, character, and hope.  James 5;10-11  'Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.'
    'The fire turns spiritual wimps into spiritual warriors.'  Don't you find that to be true?  We draw nearer to God when our need of Him is more acutely in front of us.  Our own suffering is not just about us either.  It can turn up the desire to pray in other people around you.  It can give them an opportunity to serve in a helpful, giving way.  It can give endless ways to show Christ-like love.
    'I'm thanking God today that life doesn't have to be a meaningless parade of days that replay the same old questions and the same old emptiness. On the day we step into the relationship we were made for, we step into the "more" God put us here for, and the search is over.'  When we say 'Lord, use me for your glory', we don't just to choose how it will be done.  Our choice lies in our response and the ripple effect goes beyond what our eyes can see.
    Ecclesiastes 2;11  'Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.'  This verse clearly points out how what we consider as important means nothing without it being centered around God's will and purpose.
    May what seems painful or uncomfortable for you at the moment be seen as glory in the end.