What the Bible says
Suffering in the life of a believer is not a sign that God has forgotten. “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). That good is named in the next verse: to be conformed to the image of His Son. Job, in deep loss, said, “he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).
God uses trials to grow faith. James says, “count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:2–3). Paul adds that “tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope” (Romans 5:3–4). Peter calls tried faith “much more precious than of gold that perisheth” (1 Peter 1:7). The psalmist could even say, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes” (Psalm 119:71).
Our Saviour went this way before us. He “endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2), and we are told to “consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:3). Nothing can cut us off from Him. Paul asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:35), and answers, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).
Trials are real, but they are not the end. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). Paul calls them “our light affliction, which is but for a moment” and sets them against “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). And Peter prays that “the God of all grace … after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you” (1 Peter 5:10).
13 verses, King James Version
1 Peter 5:10
After ye have suffered a while
10But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
Hebrews 12:2–3
Look unto Jesus, who endured the cross
2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Romans 8:37–39
Nothing can separate us from God's love
37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:28–29
Good purposes: making you like Jesus
28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
James 1:2–4
Trials grow endurance
2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Romans 5:3–5
From suffering to hope
3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
1 Peter 1:6–7
Faith refined like gold
6Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
2 Corinthians 4:16–18
Troubles now, glory ahead
16For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
1 Peter 4:12–13
Do not be surprised
12Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
Romans 8:18
Glory outweighs suffering
18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Job 23:10
Coming out as gold
10But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Psalms 34:19
The Lord delivers
19Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
Psalms 119:71
Learning through affliction
71It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (public domain). Read aloud by Anthony.