God uses suffering to purge sin from our lives, strengthen our commitment to him, force us to depend on grace, bind us together with other believers, produce discernment, foster sensitivity, discipline our minds, spend our time wisely, stretch our hope, cause us to know Christ better, make us long for truth, lead us to repentance of sin, teach us to give thanks in time of sorrow, increase faith, and strengthen character.Joni Eareckson Tada
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:10 (NIV)
We do not suffer alone. Our heavenly Father has seen it all before. He watched his own precious Son carry the awful burden of our guilt, suffer agony, and die a cruel death for the sin of the world.
But . . . the grave could not hold God’s Son. At Easter Jesus rose victorious Lord of all.
Our heavenly Father knows our pain, our weakness, our sorrow. He gently wipes the tears from our eyes and promises the ultimate Easter rising, because his Son, Jesus, has asked that he do it – for us.
Image: Simpson’s Gap, Central Australia
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