“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:27-28).

All classes of people were aboard the Titanic

• Wealthy people, famous people
• highly educated people, illiterate people
• and poor folks down in the steerage.

But a few hours later when they posted the list in the Cunard office in New York, there were only two categories of people: lost and found.

Every person who lives will die. And when they do, they will face judgment. When God sees us, there will only be two classes of people: lost and found.

Do you know Jesus? Have you received Jesus as Lord and Savior? Are you following him?

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2).

Consider it pure joy? Come on! Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds? You’ve got to be kidding me!

What in the world could this mean?

Couple of things. This is a true statement. AND, this true statement is first learned in hindsight.

First, this is a true statement. Look back at your life to the seasons when you had the greatest spiritual growth and maturity. I bet ya, it was when you were going through a rough time. Admit it. It’s true right?

When I ask people this question, not one person has ever described an easy season in their life. Ever!

Your spiritual maturity and your spiritual intimacy with God came at the other end of a hard season. That’s why we can look back and consider that season of trials and sufferings with pure joy.

And, just because we learn this truth in hindsight does not mean this doesn’t have any bearing on how we move into the future. Because of what was learned in the seasons of suffering, we can face future seasons with joy, knowing that they too will move us to greater maturity and intimacy with our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

So, you find yourself going through a season? Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters!

“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.