How God Uses Our Struggles

Romans 5:3-4 (ESV) —

‘...but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope...’

God uses the struggles and hurts we experience. Here are three ways in which he does that:-

1. For our growth and development:

When I was a school counsellor, I would tell pupils that going through life's experiences was a bit like going to the gym for exercise: when we exercise and lift heavier weights, we build up our fitness and strength. As Christians we work our way through life’s struggles getting stronger and growing in our faith and relationship with God. If we never have tough times, we are more likely to be weak and flabby. God works tirelessly to grow us and change us ‘from one degree of glory to another’ (2 Corinthians 3:18)

2. Because going through life’s troubles will bring glory to God: 

In her book, Affliction, Edith Schaffer* describes two art galleries: one showing pictures of God’s miraculous intervention in peoples’ lives; the other showing how he enables Christians through really trying times - but doesn’t rescue them. Both galleries reveal his glory. If Christians always had an easy time, others could claim we can't understand their troubles and don’t know what real life is like.

Paul wanted his thorn in the flesh to be removed but God said: ‘My power is made perfect in (your) weakness.' (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

3. To prepare us for our future life with him:

God’s perspective is longer than ours - he is preparing us for a life with him in eternity. He plans to present us to his Father holy and blameless and to get us ready to share in ‘his eternal weight of glory’ (Philippians 1:10; 2 Cor. 4:17). With this perspective, God's highest priority may not be our immediate comfort and the achievement of our own relatively short-term desires! He has a better plan!

Prayer: Thank you Lord that I can trust you to fulfil your purposes in my life and that all things work together for my good. I want to be willing to go through all life’s experiences, with your help, if they can be used to bring glory to you. 

*   Edith Schaeffer, Affliction (1978, London, Hodder & Stoughton, chs.4,5)