In the comfort-driven times in which we live, we've mastered the art of avoiding pain.

We pop pills at the first sign of discomfort, chase endless distractions, and build elaborate cocoons of convenience around ourselves.

Yet, what if everything we've been taught about suffering is wrong?

What if the very thing we're desperately trying to escape is actually God's secret pathway to astonishing transformation?

Today, on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindall reveals a startling truth

from Romans 8 in the Bible. Suffering isn't your enemy. It's your invitation to glory.

Chuck called today's message, glorying and groaning. Now we want to read from the Word of God, Romans chapter 8, appropriately, a message on suffering.

Let me read for you verses 18 through 27.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are

not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us for the anxious longing

of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God for For the creation was subjected to futility,

not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope,

that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery

to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.

And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves,

grown within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

For in hope we have been saved.

But hope that is seen is not hope.

For who hopes for what he already sees?

But if we hope for what we do not see with perseverance, we eagerly wait for it.

In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we should,

...