After seven weeks of teaching my Bible class about dealing with pain and suffering, today I asked them, “What is the biggest take away you have learned about suffering?” As they talked, I began to summarize their thoughts on the whiteboard. Here is a list of their comments:

*We grow in faith through suffering.

*Suffering can be used as a testimony to glorify God.

*A diamond is formed under pressure; likewise, suffering develops character.

*Suffering is a process, and you have to let the process work you into a diamond. If you quit on God too soon, you just become a lump of coal.

*In the Holy Land, olives were pressed and crushed in a vat, making olive oil. Likewise, God allows us to suffer pressure, and God produces good things in our lives from it.

*We experience God’s presence in suffering– it draws us closer to God.

*Suffering forces us to make choices– will we be better or bitter?

*We must learn to see suffering in perspective: it is temporary and light compared to the eternal weight of glory God has for us (2 Corinthians 4:17)

*We are able to relate to others with similar suffering, and comfort them. (2 Corinthians 1:4).

*Suffering requires us to be obedient to share the lessons we learned with others, even though we might prefer to talk about other subjects. But when we talk about it, it helps others.