At one point or another, we have all faced problems in our families, our relationships, or in our work that have caused us to think about quitting or walking away. Rather than acting like impatient children as we wait for God’s will to unfold, we should place our confidence in God’s goodness and wisdom. While it is easy to lose heart and quit, instead we should realize that there is a purpose in our suffering.

First, if you allow them to, life’s trials and distress can remind you of Christ’s suffering for us on the cross. In a single day, Christ experienced more spiritual, emotional, and physical pain and suffering than most of us will ever experience in our lifetime, yet He endured it, not for himself, but for us.

Secondly, daily struggles and challenges can humble you and keep us from becoming too prideful. I’ve been knocked off my own “high horse” plenty of times and I’m better for it! It teaches you that you cannot go through life alone and to stop relying solely on yourself. And when you persevere through these problems, they give God the opportunity to demonstrate His power through you and can prove your faith to others.

As we face life’s troubles, it is easy to focus on the current pain that we are experiencing, rather than our ultimate goal. The apostle Paul explains that no matter what happens to us in this life, as Christians, we have the assurance of eternal life when all suffering and pain will end!

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT) “¹⁶That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. ¹⁷For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! ¹⁸So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

Our troubles should not diminish our faith or discourage us from attending service. Our very weakness is what allows the resurrection power of Christ to strengthen us day by day. The pain that we experience today is temporary, but the pain of quitting will last forever. Renew your commitment to your faith, fix your eyes on Jesus and focus on the reward that lasts forever!