Life is a gift. Life is a precious gift from God. Everybody gets this precious gift, but what matters with this gift is how we use it. Within this broad gift of life, God gives many other gifts, and these gifts differ from person to person. Many of the gifts of life we recognize as gifts and thank God for them, but others, not so much. If someone were to ask, “What is your greatest gift?” The believer in Jesus Christ would say that it is salvation. But if that person were to say, “What is your biggest struggle?” most would say something related to suffering, which is understandable and natural. We all struggle with suffering. But the Bible takes a different perspective. The Bible teaches that suffering is a gift, “For it has been granted to you for the sake of Christ, that you not only believe in his name but also to suffer on behalf of him” (Philippians 1:29).
This is the first blog in a series of six blogs on the way suffering is a gift. In this first installment, we’re going to deal with the gift that suffering strengthens our faith. Believers in Jesus Christ are people of faith. We are saved by faith, and we live by faith (Ephesians 2:8; 2 Corinthians 5:7). When we think about faith, we know something of what faith means. Faith is about trust. When we say we have faith in Jesus Christ, it means we trust him. But also there are two sides to this faith or trust. There is the what side and the how side. The what side deals with the content of our faith. What are we trusting? We trust God; we trust Jesus; we trust the word of God. To just say we have faith is not enough. We have to understand exactly what we are trusting.
Likewise, the how side of faith deals with how much faith we have. Jesus often said to his disciples, “O you of little faith.” The how question reveals to us the first way that suffering can be a gift from God. Suffering can be a gift from God because suffering strengthens our faith. It’s hard to trust God in the midst of suffering. Suffering gives us the opportunity to strengthen our weak faith. We read in James 1:2-4, “Count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance have its perfect work, that you may be mature and complete lacking nothing.”
When we suffer, we are experiencing the trials of life. The trials of life are like a good exercise program. Exercise pushes our strength past its capacity, creating greater strength. God sends the trials of life to test our faith. It is not that God needs to know the quality and quantity of our faith, but that we can know our faith and experience the growth of our faith as we trust God in the crucible of adversity. It is for our good that God tests our faith to strengthen it.
So when we suffer in any way, we know that God is with us. There is purpose in the things we’re going through. He is strengthening our faith. God is doing some of his greatest work in our pain. We will need that stronger faith down the road for other suffering that may come, and for a great work of faith for his kingdom mission. God is glorified in us when we face suffering with faith and trust that he is enough for anything we experience. What are you struggling with now? It may seem overwhelming but know that God is with you. He is strengthening your faith. Use the faith you have to trust him. He loves you. He has the eternal perspective in view.