God’s pathway to becoming spiritually mature and more Christ-like is through suffering—in other words, “No pain, no gain.”

BIBLE VERSE

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 says, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’”

From these verses, we learn that God desires to use pain and suffering in our lives for a greater good. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PAIN IS A PRIZE. Becoming spiritually mature and being used greatly for God involves suffering deeply.

2 AGENDAS AT WORK WHEN WE SUFFER—GOD’S & SATAN’S

God uses suffering for our sanctification. Satan uses suffering for our affliction.

God wants to use suffering to…

Develop our faith

Refine your faith

Satan wants to use suffering to…

Destroy our faith

Ruin our faith

Just as a goldsmith puts metal into the fire to get rid of impurities and make it more moldable, so too does God. He tests our faith so that we can be crafted into something useful and beautiful. This is the process of sanctification!

Satan will tempt you, but God will test you. God sees pain and suffering as a pathway to make you complete…

“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”—James 1:3

The agenda that ultimately influences your life in times of suffering is directly related to how you respond.

Satan wants you to respond based on what you see.

God wants you to respond based on what He has said.

So then, how do you respond to suffering? Becoming spiritually mature is a process. Allow God to guide you through it.

JOIN US!

Join Pastor Phil at Abundant Life as he preaches about the two agendas at work in our lives during suffering and how we can respond and embrace how God wants to use our situations to refine us so that we become spiritually mature.

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