Don't waste your times of suffering. Suffering has the power to change us into our true identity as followers of a suffering Messiah who "learned obedience by the things which he suffered." (Hebrews 5:8) Here are some lessons I have learned about times of suffering.

1. Life Lessons in
Dealing with Suffering

2. • Job: Did his best, but life fell apart. Didn’t know he was helping God win a
cosmic bet with the devil. Job’s responses to his devil-inflicted suffering
made God famous in heaven and in hell.
• Not my fav book: too long, too repetitive, mostly job defending himself
from three friend’s who just want Job to admit his sins caused all this trouble
• Comments on animals: Job 39: Ostriches are pretty dumb because “God
has made her forget wisdom And has not given her a share of
understanding.” (Brains and trains story) and in Job 41 the best description
of a dragon I have seen in non-fiction literature. Maybe there is a Godzilla
after all. :) (Probably all dead now—Job could have lived before the flood)
!
• Great lines: The Lord gives and the Lord takes—blessed be the name of
the Lord ( after losing all his children and all his wealth in one day)
• “"Though He slay me, I will hope in Him…” Job 13:15

3. Inevitable
• Jesus promised us: In the world, we will have tribulation. If
they hated me, they will hate you ( demons and some
people)
• Job 5:7: “Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly
upward.”
• REV 12:17: WAR ON THE SAINTS: “Then the dragon
was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war
against the rest of her offspring--those who keep God's
commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.”
• Chinese Bishop to Corrie Ten Boom: opps!

4. Everything Has A Purpose
• The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord:
and he delights in his way. Ps. 37:23
• Romans 8:28: God makes ALL things work together
for good to those who love Him to those who are
are called according to His Name.
• Gen 50:20: “You meant it for evil, but God meant it
for good.”

5. Suffering Has Great
Meaning for God & Us
!
• Our Suffering never surprises God. He knows about it before it happens and uses it for
good.
• It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. (David—
Psalm 119:71)
• Even though Jesus was God's Son, He learned obedience from the things he
suffered. (Heb 5:8). Jesus said He would have to suffer to obey God.
• God predicted that Paul would suffer much to take the Gospel to the world. He did.
Shipwrecks, prison, stoned, etc.
• Paul told Timothy: “suffer hardship with me..”
• I Peter 4:13: Called to share the sufferings of Christ ( to do God’s will)
• Romans 8:17: We will be a joint-heir with Jesus if we suffer with Him ( obedience)

6. Biblical Purposes
• Most common: God causes suffering to bring loving
correction. Bible begins and ends with this type of
suffering. Beware teaching of hyper-grace.
• Israel—100x in OT. Used plagues,famine, wars and wild
animals
• Heb 12:6: FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE
DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON
WHOM HE RECEIVES.”
• Ananias & Saphira, Sickness at Lord’s supper, turned
some rebels over to Satan to bring them to repentance

7. Biblical Purposes
• For God’s glory: Job & John 9 & death of
Lazarus!
• John 9:3: "Neither this man nor his parents
sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that
the works of God might be displayed in him.!
• Many believed in Jesus due to resurrection of
Lazarus so much the leaders plotted to kill
lazarus again!

8. Suffering Has Great
Meaning
• Suffering always changes us. God uses suffering to refine,
prune, shape and prepare us for promotion in the Kingdom
• Our response to suffering will change our lives for
better or for worse. Holy, sacred time between God & us.
• Lays bare our soul, our innermost thoughts to ourselves
and to God.
• During times of suffering, we are clay on the potters
wheel again, being shaped by the kind but strong hands
of the Master.

9. My Experiences
• My heart crushed in one church by false church by
false accusations and conflict with proud leaders
but it squeezed the fear of rejection out of me.
• Had two mortgages for 6 months with four
children. Thought it would ruin me. It did not and
fear of want was dealt a major blow.
• Lost my mom in her divorce of dad but it
protected me from the deep brokenness of my
mom, whom I loved.

10. • 1995-2000 Beth and I went through the greatest
test of our marriage and finances.
• Death of both parents within a week, loss of my
grandmother & uncle and daughter’s mental
health within three months.
• Resigned our church to pursue new ministry:
alone, faltering finances, depressed wife, sick
child, rejection and competition by leaders, loss
of ministry and vision. Little emotional support.

11. Lessons
• Express your pain. Don’t handle alone. Seek help, counsel,
especially when trials come. Don’t pull away from people like we did.
• Spend a lot of time with God. Do a retreat, fast, seek God furiously.
Don’t ignore the pain. “While Jesus was here on earth, he offered
prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who
could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of
his deep reverence for God. (Heb 5:7)
• Focus on what God is revealing in you and revealing about Him >
than fixing the situation. “God whispers to us in our pleasures,
speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His
megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” ( CS Lewis)
• Trials bring our lies to the surface so God can give us truth instead.

12. Lessons
• So, Don’t waste your sufferings. Learn the lessons
God wants to teach, grow closer to Him, receive
truth for lies you believe. Times of suffering are
expensive, valuable seasons to grow more into
the person wants you to be now & in eternity.
• “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our
outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being
renewed day by day. For momentary, light
affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of
glory far beyond all comparison…”2 Cor. 4:16-17