suffering

Trinity has a program called Trinity Wives Fellowship. This is a group for the wives of the seminary students. A couple of weeks ago I went to the kick off for the semester and got connected with a small group. We are studying 1 Peter. As I was studying the first part of the first chapter a few verses really stood out to me.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may

have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so 

that your faith -- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even 

though refined by fire -- may be proved genuine and may result in 

praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 1:6-7 

As Dave and I traveled to Muncie last week for the birth of my nephew, the trek reminded me of the last time we went to that hospital. It was to be with my Grandma Carr as she passed on to Heaven. Thinking of that reminded me of some of the suffering my family went through. Within one year, we lost my uncle and both of my grandmas. To add to that my parents also lost several of their close friends. It was a rough year. It was a year of suffering.  

As we went to the hospital for my nephews birth, I was reminded that even through the suffering of losing a loved one, there is also new life. Death is a part of life. A part that no one really wants to face because it hurts and we miss those we've lost.  But there is hope in Jesus Christ who will never leave us. This life is temporary and we can use everyday to rejoice no matter what the circumstances.  This will prove that our faith is genuine.  And we will be able to move through the suffering with joy.

Suffering comes in all different forms not only limited to death. Being far away from family and friends can feel a bit like suffering too.  Or doing something difficult that you know God has called you to do. And even battling an illness.  What a great reminder to REJOICE in ALL our suffering.