Don't Waste Your Suffering

Whether it is a terminal disease, life-threatening setback, or a daily disappointment, we all suffer at times. I've heard once, if you walk up to someone on the street and ask them, "What's wrong?" they will have an answer ready for you. We all have some problem that is pressing our mind for our attention.

Suffering means to "experience or be subjected to (something bad or unpleasant)" (Oxford American Dictionary). In 1 Peter it says, "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:6-7). Peter tells us to rejoice in the midst of our sufferings because they will only last a little while. In other words, have an eternal perspective in the midst of them. He then mentions that the trials will test your faith by fire in order to perfect it. So, don't waste your suffering. The suffering might not go away when we rejoice, but we have eternal hope. Allow your faith to be tested and perfected, and simply rejoice.