The Benefits and Blessings of Suffering

1. Helps you evaluate our faith and obedience to God (Genesis 22:1-19-Abraham asked to sacrifice his promised son Isaac)

2. Helps you trust God’s sovereign plan for our good (Genesis 50:20-Joseph)

3. Helps you to be driven to greater dependence upon God (Deuteronomy 6:10-13)

4. Helps drive out and overcome your sin (Job 23:10, Manasseh-2 Chronicles 33:11-12, 1 Peter 4:1)

5. Helps you depend on the unrevealed purposes of God (Job 1:6-12)

6. Helps you look to God in prayer for the answers (Psalm 4:1, 18:6, 50:15, 120:1, James 5:13)

7. Helps you remember that your times are in His hands (Psalm 31:14-15)

8. Helps you rely upon the sustaining provision of God (Psalm 55:22)

9. Helps you recognize God as your Shield (Ps. 3:3), Sustainer (Ps. 37:17), Safety provider (Ps. 4:8), King (Ps. 5:2), Blesser (Ps. 5:12), Stronghold (Ps. 9:9), Preserver (Ps. 32:7), Refuge (46:1), Stabilizer (Ps 16:8), Rock (Ps. 18:1), Strength (Ps. 18:1), Fortress (Ps. 18:1), Rescuer (Ps. 18:19), Upholder (Ps. 18:35), Helper (Ps. 22:19), Shepherd (Ps. 23:1), Restorer (Ps. 23:3), Guide (Ps. 23:3), Comforter (Ps. 23:4), Forgiver (Ps. 32:5), Hiding place (Ps. 32:7), Song, (Ps. 42:8), Disciplinarian (Ps. 50:21), Burden-bearer (Ps. 68:19-20), Refiner (Ps. 66:10-12), Truth-teller (Ps. 69:13-14), Rock of habitation (Ps. 71:3), Hope (Ps. 71:5), Portion (Ps. 73:26), Close (Ps. 73:28), Deliverer (Ps. 74:12)

10. Helps you remember the great deeds of the Lord (Psalm 77:10-15)

11. Helps you look to and learn God’s Word for your life (Psalm 119:71, 67)

12. Helps you find comfort in God’s sustaining Word (Psalm 119:50, 52, 75-76, 107)

13. Helps you rejoice about your coming reward in heaven (Matthew 5:10-12)

14. Helps you become like your Teacher/Master, the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:21-25a)

15. Helps you become even more productive for Christ (John 15:1-2)

16. Helps you remember whose side you are on and who the world doesn’t like (John 15:18-25)

17. Helps you remember Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33)

18. Helps you see suffering as a privilege and calling for Christ’s sake (Acts 5:41, Phil. 1:29)

19. Helps you display uncommon spiritual character (Acts 7:57-60-Stephen)

20. Helps you take eternal advantage of the opportunities to share the gospel (Acts 8:1-4, Philippians 1:12-19, 1 Corinthians 16:9, 2 Timothy 2:8-10, 4:16-17)

21. Helps you offer your praise to God no matter what (Acts 16:22-25)

22. Helps produce perseverance, proven character and hope in your life (Romans 5:3)

23. Helps you understand that suffering is God’s pathway to glory (Romans 8:17)

24. Helps you long for the incomparable glories of heaven (Romans 8:18)

25. Helps you long and persevere for the hope of the fulness of our salvation (Romans 8:23-25)

26. Helps you see God’s providential care in your life (Romans 8:28)

27. Helps you utilize the all-sufficient resources of Christ who is for you (Romans 8:31-34)

28. Helps you live as a super-conqueror in Christ and enjoy His unbreakable love for you (Romans 8:35-39)

29. Helps you enjoy and experience comfort from the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:4-6, 7:6)

30. Helps you focus your trust on God, not on yourself (2 Corinthians 1:9)

31. Helps you assist others who need God’s comfort (2 Corinthians 1:4, 7:6-7)

32. Helps you manifest the sustaining life of Christ in you (2 Corinthians 4:7-11)

33. Helps you view life from the eternal perspective (2 Corinthians 4:14-16)

34. Helps you avoid the sin of pride (2 Corinthians 12:5-7)

35. Helps you rely upon the all-sufficient grace of God (2 Corinthians 12:9)

36. Helps you develop God’s power in your life (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

37. Helps you learn the attitude of contentment (2 Corinthians 12:10, Philippians 4:11-12)

38. Helps you inspire other believers (Philippians 1:14)

39. Helps conform you to Christ (Philippians 3:10, Galatians 6:17)

40. Helps you learn you can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:10-13)

41. Helps you seize the opportunity to be bolder in your witness (I Thessalonians 2:1-2, 2 Timothy 1:8-12)

42. Helps you remember this is your calling (1 Thessalonians 3:3-4, Philippians 1:29)

43. Helps you look forward to God’s promise of eternal “relief” and “retribution” for your enemies without Christ at the end (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10)

44. Helps you experience God’s faithfulness in protecting and strengthening you (2 Thessalonians. 3:1-3)

45. Helps you remember your eternal security in Christ (2 Timothy 1:12)

46. Helps you be a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3-4)

47. Helps you look for the Lord’s delivering power (2 Timothy 3:10-11, 4:16-18)

48. Helps you evaluate your desire for godliness (2 Timothy 3:12)

49. Helps you look toward your ultimate deliverance (2 Timothy 4:18)

50. Helps you utilize the powerful resource of prayer (Hebrews 4:14-16, James 5:13)

51. Helps you learn obedience like Jesus did through suffering (Hebrews 5:8)

52. Helps you trust God for the best life to come (Hebrews 11:32-40)

53. Helps you grow in holiness and righteousness (Hebrews 12:10-11)

54. Helps you be assured of your salvation (Hebrews 12:6-8, Job 5:17)

55. Helps you remember His deep love for you (Hebrews 12:6-8)

56. Helps you develop patient endurance and purposeful living (James 1:2-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:4, Hebrews 12:3)

57. Helps you consider your own sinfulness and its connection to suffering for confession and repentance (James 5:14-16)

58. Helps you refine and prove your faith (1 Peter 1:6-7, Job 23:10, Psalm 66:10)

59. Helps develop your eternal capacity to glorify God (1 Peter 1:6-7, 2 Corinthians 4:17, 2 Timothy 2:12a, Matthew 20:20-23, Hebrews 2:10)

60. Helps you experience the special blessings of God (1 Peter 4:12-14)

61. Helps you follow the example of Christ (1 Peter 2:21-23, John 16:33, Hebrews 2:18)

62. Helps you become spiritually stable and strong (1 Peter 5:10-11)

63. Helps you gain the eternal crown of life (Revelation 2:9-10)