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After a new pastor finished his sermon, one woman asked another, “What did you think of the sermon?” Oh, it was O.K., but he’ll get better after he suffers a while.” And so it was—after the pastor suffered the deaths of two wives and a niece, he became a powerful pastor. Throughout history, people have wrestled with the question of why those who are good suffer. The Apostle Paul explains that because we belong to a wise and loving God, He has the right to use our suffering to benefit others. And when we go thru trouble, God uses it to refine our character and reserves for us an eternal reward. Paul explains this in 2 Corinthians Chapter 1, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you.” As the Apostle explains, some trouble we experience may have nothing to do with us. Rather, our trials may come to equip us to serve our Lord more effectively.
