Don't Waste Your Suffering

BIBLICAL POINT OF REFERENCE:

"Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us."

~Romans 5:3-5

I recently came across one of the strangest statements I've ever heard: Don't waste your suffering. How weird does that sound? But when we think about how God came to this world and died for us, and how He left His teachings about turning the other cheek and offering things up, maybe it's not so strange. Think about what suffering could really do for you or someone else: when God grants us the grace to offer up our suffering, we are extending a helping hand to someone with more suffering than us. When we offer up our suffering, we are imitating God's ultimate sacrifice for us: dying on the cross. So back to that statement: Don't waste your suffering. I'm going to take that to mean this: don't waste the opportunity to grow closer to God through sacrifice and love. Don't waste the opportunity to help someone else through prayer and hope. Don't. Wast. Your. Suffering. My challenge for you all this week is to examine closely the sufferings that are placed in front of you (this could be anything from not enough sleep, to a hard week of studying for a tough exam, to the passing away of a family member or friend) and use them to create some good that will lead to the greater glory of God. We are all given plenty of challenges and crosses to bear, so use them wisely, and don't waste them! Your Laughing Sister, ​Callahan

Check out the STRENGTH and WHEN LIFE DRAGS YOU DOWN quotes pages for more inspiration!