The Soil of Suffering

It is an odd thing to think that nutrient-rich soil which yields the finest bright flowers can equally breed the most undesirable weeds if the soil is not tilled with intent.  Spiritually speaking, there is perhaps no greater and richer soil than the soil of suffering.  It is suffering, those moments or seasons of life of pain and tumult, that form either the strongest bonds of character and friendship or cause the deepest of relational caverns or personality deficiencies.

Paul writes that we "rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5.

This is one of the unique comforts of the Christian message.  Not only can suffering be seen in light of God's glory but, even more so, suffering can be seen as serving a purpose.  Praise God!