InstaEncouragements Building a worldwide online community of encouragers encouraging others in the faith of Jesus Christ. Join the movement!
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Etsy Shop
    • Library >
      • Bible Emergency Numbers
      • LOVE Coupons
      • Christmas Songbook
      • Character Trait Worksheet
      • The Red Sea Rules
      • The Heart That Heals Printable Package
      • 12 Letters I Wrote
      • 16 Names of God
      • Praying Proverbs
      • Come and Gather
      • Bible Reading Plan
      • Disciple Me Program
    • Christianity
    • Bible Study >
      • 14 Things God’s Love Letter Says About You
      • A Journey of Worship
      • The ABCs of God's Love Letter
      • She Loves Truth
      • Hey Mama! PRAY
      • 52 Days in Psalms
      • 10 Weeks in the New Testament
      • 2 Months in The Pentateuch
      • 12 Minor Prophets
      • 3 Biblical Statements
      • 7 Books of Faith
      • 4 Major Prophets
  • Blog
    • Guest Bloggers
    • IE Link-up
    • Praying Proverbs
    • Jordan River Rules
    • Choosing Gratitude
    • Aging With Grace
    • Seeking Him
    • She Loves Truth
    • Red Sea Rules
  • Come & Dwell
  • The Heart That Heals
    • The Heart That Heals Media Package
  • Sweeter Than Honey
    • Sweeter Than Honey Media Package
  • 16 Names of God
    • 16 Names of God Media Package
TDGC shop the sale

One Benefit of Suffering

5/21/2021

4 Comments

 
One Benefit of Suffering
Have you ever noticed that much of the Bible and the lessons we learn from it are centered on suffering and people’s response to suffering? It is hard to find a story in the Bible of some saint who did not endure suffering. Peter spends much of his two epistles speaking of the inevitability of suffering for God’s people.

Many people have attempted to answer the question of why God allows suffering. I believe the Bible clearly answers this question in several passages. Elizabeth Elliot, the wife of missionary martyr Jim Elliot, spoke and wrote often about the suffering God allows in our lives because she said that abundant life is only borne out of suffering and death.

​I am not going to attempt to comprehensively answer this question today, but I want to highlight one major benefit of suffering in our lives – the comfort that only comes from God!
TDGC logo banner
TDGC Never Alone Bible study banner
The Apostle Paul often wrote of suffering and affliction. He personally dealt with copious amounts of suffering in his Christian walk (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). But he never used it as an excuse to stop serving. In fact, at the start of his second letter to the church at Corinth, he explained this benefit of suffering. He opens the letter in 2 Corinthians 1:3 praising God for being our Father, for being a merciful Father, and calls Him “the God of all comfort.”

​Paul then goes on to explain in the verses that follow that this God who comforts us in our times of suffering does so not just to get us through our suffering, but so that we might minister this same comfort to others. Even in our suffering and through His comfort, God is opening doors of ministry for us to share what we have learned with other people. 
Warren Wiersbe in his commentary on Job entitled Be Patient wrote this:
“God’s comfort is never given; it is always loaned. God expects us to share it with others.”
Read these verses carefully and meditatively with me: ​
"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. (1 Cor. 1:3-4)
Have you ever experienced the comfort of God in your personal suffering? It is a blessed privilege of the believer to be encouraged and comforted by our God. He is the source of this comfort. He is the One who sustains us and even delivers us from suffering according to His will. He knows what we need in any given situation. Paul uses this same word comfort several times in this passage driving home the point that one of the main reasons for suffering is so that first we can have a personal understanding of God’s comfort in that suffering. 
And then Paul takes us one step further by explaining what God wants us to do with that same comfort He brings to us – to share it with others. 
 
When I recall the times of greatest suffering in my life, I find comfort knowing that my suffering was not in vain. Some of the best times of ministry for me have been the times that I have been able to testify of God’s comfort in my life which has directly helped someone walking a similar path. This is really one of the many purposes of suffering in any believer’s life.
Maybe you are walking through a path of suffering today. May I encourage you that God has comfort ready for you if you will run to Him? And this suffering is not in vain! Maybe you have been through times of suffering and remember experiencing the comfort of our God. May I encourage you to share that with someone else? Remember that the comfort of God is only on loan to you for your time of need. Who do you need to encourage today with God’s comfort?
Amanda
Have you ever experienced the comfort of God in your personal suffering? ​
Please Share
4 Comments
Lisa Blair link
5/21/2021 03:05:49 pm

This is so true, Amanda, though I hadn't thought of it in this light, "I want to highlight one major benefit of suffering in our lives – the comfort that only comes from God!"

I really appreciate Warren Wiersbe's words of wisdom, thanks for sharing this nugget, "God’s comfort is never given; it is always loaned. God expects us to share it with others.”

Reply
Patsy Burnette link
5/22/2021 05:49:37 pm

I love that quote too, Lisa. And I can relate to this benefit of suffering as well. One of the greatest blessings in my life is to see the words God gives to comfort me comfort others.

Reply
Maree Dee link
5/27/2021 01:17:18 am

Yes, I have felt the comfort of God in my suffering. It is simply amazing. I loved your post. Thank you for linking up with Grace & Truth Link-Up. I will be featuring your article on Friday on Embracing the Unexpected.

Reply
Maree Dee link
5/27/2021 10:26:44 pm

Amanda or Patsy—I am featuring this article tomorrow for the Grace & Truth Link-Up. However, I don't see Amanda's last name anywhere. Please don't hesitate to send it to me if you would like me to add it. Maree

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Patsy
    Hi friend, welcome to InstaEncouragements. I am so glad you are here. You’re among friends. You belong here. 

    How would you like access to our online library of helpful eBooks, devotionals, printables, and more? You’re going to love this library, which has all kinds of exclusive content just for you!

    Join the movement by signing up below and I'll send you the link today. And no worries, We don’t spam. Promise! We don’t like spam either.

    After you've joined the movement, hop on over to our about page to learn more about us and then to our contact form and introduce yourself so we can be on a first-name basis. I'd like that! —Patsy

    Join the movement!

    * indicates required
    Come & Dwell
    16 Names of God
    Sweeter Than Honey
    The Heart That Heals cover

    Top Posts

    16 Names of God & What They Mean
    8 Ways God Spoke to People in the Past and How He Speaks to Us Today
    12 Things the Bible Says God Knows About Us
    3 Practical Points
    ​About Prayer
    A Lesson From King Jehoshaphat
    From a Proverbs 31 Woman to a Titus 2 Woman
    16 Names of God:
    ​El Olam
    David's Second Goliath
    Honoring God by Maintaining Our
    ​Physical Health
    12 Favorite
    ​Bible Study Tools
    Artza blog banner

    Featured

    Welcome Heart
    LaurenSparks.net
    beLydia.org
    Brave Women Series
    Grace & Truth
    WORTHY Bible Studies
    Money Wise Steward
    Woman of Noble Character
    The Best Bible Study Books For Women

    Categories

    All
    16 Names Of God
    7 Biblical Feasts
    7 Things God Is Not
    ABCs Of The Bible
    Amanda
    Bible Emergency Numbers
    Bible Study
    Books We Love
    Cami
    Cancer
    Christine
    Come And Gather
    Debbie
    Elisabeth
    Evidences Of Faith
    Family Life
    Guest Post
    Hey Mama! PRAY
    Journey To The Cross
    Julie
    Kathy
    Link Ups
    Our Words Matter
    Prayer
    Printables
    Stephanie
    Summer Book Club
    Sweeter Than Honey

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018

InstaEncouragements participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a
​means for this site to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. 
This site also contains affiliate links for The Daily Grace Company, Not Consumed, and Artza.
InstaEncouragements will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking one of these links or a link from one of our posts.
​​Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Terms & Conditions
InstaEncouragements logo
© InstaEncouragements |2025|  all rights reserved
IE blog footer image
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Etsy Shop
    • Library >
      • Bible Emergency Numbers
      • LOVE Coupons
      • Christmas Songbook
      • Character Trait Worksheet
      • The Red Sea Rules
      • The Heart That Heals Printable Package
      • 12 Letters I Wrote
      • 16 Names of God
      • Praying Proverbs
      • Come and Gather
      • Bible Reading Plan
      • Disciple Me Program
    • Christianity
    • Bible Study >
      • 14 Things God’s Love Letter Says About You
      • A Journey of Worship
      • The ABCs of God's Love Letter
      • She Loves Truth
      • Hey Mama! PRAY
      • 52 Days in Psalms
      • 10 Weeks in the New Testament
      • 2 Months in The Pentateuch
      • 12 Minor Prophets
      • 3 Biblical Statements
      • 7 Books of Faith
      • 4 Major Prophets
  • Blog
    • Guest Bloggers
    • IE Link-up
    • Praying Proverbs
    • Jordan River Rules
    • Choosing Gratitude
    • Aging With Grace
    • Seeking Him
    • She Loves Truth
    • Red Sea Rules
  • Come & Dwell
  • The Heart That Heals
    • The Heart That Heals Media Package
  • Sweeter Than Honey
    • Sweeter Than Honey Media Package
  • 16 Names of God
    • 16 Names of God Media Package