“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3).

Suffering is necessary for spiritual growth.

I know. I don’t like that either. But the thing is you can’t grow as a Christian without suffering because there is a lesson that we can only learn through and from suffering.

When I was a pastor in the Dallas area, the congregations I served were mostly younger families. They were almost all working professionals. While people in their twenties and thirties are great, there is something that causes most of their faith to be shallow. Most of the folks that are presbyterian types tend to be white-collar working folk. That means that most are college educated, fairly wealthy, and have some social standing.

Those three things: education, money, and social standing are terrible for spiritual maturity. Those three things in particular tend to breed arrogance. For most people in their twenties and thirties, they haven’t experienced yet anything that their education, money, and social status can’t fix. Most haven’t suffered yet. They haven’t yet experienced a parent or a spouse or a child dying of cancer where their education, money, and social standing can’t do a darn thing to fix their loved one dying.

It’s only when we encounter something that we cannot handle that we truly learn what it means to turn to God and trust God. And it’s in these moments that are beyond us – beyond our ability to control – that we learn God is more than our sufferings.

There are lessons that can only be learned through suffering.

Suffering is a necessary ingredient for spiritual growth.

No one likes suffering.

That’s fine.

Because we don’t like suffering, we think that God must not want us to suffer.

That’s not fine. That’s not fine because that kind of thinking is wrong.

The early Christians would find such thinking baffling. You see, for the early Christian suffering was normative. They didn’t like suffering just like we don’t like suffering. But they also knew that suffering was necessary and normative for the Christian life.

Don’t take my word for it. Here are just a few verses that talk about suffering in the New Testament:

• 1 Peter 2:21 – This this you were called, because Christ suffered for you leaving you an example, that you should follow in his footsteps.
• 1 Peter 4:12-13 – Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
• Hebrews 12:7 – Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.
• 2 Timothy 3:12 – In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
• Philippians 1:29 – For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.
• Acts 5:41 – The apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
• Acts 14:22 – “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”

Something to think about…

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Look at the verb tense:

• God demonstrates his love
• Christ died for us

This passage would make more sense if it read “But God demonstrated his love for us in this: While we were sinners, Christ died for us.”

But that’s not what the text says. And for very good reason.

The present tense implies that there is never a time when we do not need the Savior in our lives. It’s not just the unsaved people who need Jesus. Christians need Jesus too. There is never a time when we do not need our Savior’s guidance, our Savior’s help, our Savior’s leading. There is never a time when we are sufficient on our own. We always need Jesus.

You see, that’s why, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we remain repeat (my own translation) sinners, Christ died for us.