Why do we suffer?

It's one of the oldest questions in the human experience.

But whether it's developing faith or cultivating humility, suffering is always purposeful in the hands of God.

A.W. Tozer once said,

It's doubtful God can use anyone greatly until he has hurt him deeply.

Today, on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindall explores five reasons we suffer, and why God's

Word is the one thing that will stabilize you in the middle of your pain.

This message comes from his study of Second Thessalonians.

Chuck titled today's message, Light for Dark Days.

Before I talk about the Thessalonians and the things they went through and the things Paul said to them,

I thought, well, I ought to share with the congregation five reasons we suffer.

Five reasons we suffer.

And understand there may be 50 reasons, but these five are clearly set forth on several

occasions in the Scriptures.

First, personally to develop faith, personally to develop faith, no one can have a strong faith who does not go through

periods of suffering. If you like to add verses in support of these things, why don't you choose

James 1, verses 2 through 4? Second, we go through suffering doctrinally to expose wrong. There is nothing like

some suffering to expose to us and reveal to us wrong in our lives. To expose wrong. that would be a doctrinal reason we suffer.

Paul wrote the Corinthians in 1st Corinthians 1130,

For this cause many of you are weak and sickly and some of you have died.

And he had reference to a time of suffering and illness that had swept across the church

because of wrongdoing they were suffering.

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