I can think of many things that God said in His Word that have given us reason to have confidence in the outcome of our faith in Him. Take for example, His stance on sin. What if He has never said, “Your sins and your iniquities I will remember no more.”

Jeremiah 31:34 NIV
[34] “No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

What a promise, spoken to Israel in the Old Covenant and ratified by Jesus in the New!

God’s explanation for suffering is another huge “light bulb” for us in our daily struggles. Problem is, first, that we so often ask questions without looking for answers in the Word and second, we don’t realise how serious God is about making us holy.

People have written books without number about suffering, to justify believers’ bad experiences in life. Unbelievers hold God responsible for their troubles. “Why did God let this happen…why did He do this to me?” as though God made them sin with its consequences so that He could punish them…a very good excuse not to believe in Him!

We don’t need “wise theologians” to write tomes to exonerate God for suffering when God Himself gave us His reason for our hardships.

Hebrews 12:5-11 NLT
[5] And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. [6] For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” [7] As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? [8] If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. [9] Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? [10] For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. [11] No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”

Sin is a serious issue to God. He sent His own beloved Son to take care of the debt humanity owes Him for sin. He left no stone unturned to save us from our own self-destruction. He explained the importance of dying to our old self-gratifying ways. Our station in eternity depends on overcoming the ravages of our old nature.

We know what happens when children are left to themselves, when parents indulge their every whim and fail to train them to be mature and responsible adults. Wise Solomon had much to say about training children. Perhaps he saw his own father’s indulgence and the consequences.

Proverbs 29:15 NLT
[15] “To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.”

Proverbs 23:13-14 NIV
[13] “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die. [14] Punish them with the rod and save them from death.”

If our natural children need drastic measures to keep them from destroying themselves, how much more do God’s children need discipline to save us from eternal loss.

Romans 8:12-13 NIV
[12]” Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. [13] For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”

What does God mean by “dying”and “living”? There is an eternal realm, the kingdom of God, in which we shall have a part if we learn, in this life, to submit to and obey our heavenly Father. He stated clearly, more than once, that without holiness, no one will see Him. Every time we sin thoughtlessly, we move farther from intimacy with God and nearer to eternal separation from Him.

Sin cuts us off from fellowship with God. If we persist in living sinful lives, Jesus said, He will eventually disown us and send us away.

Matthew 7:22-23 NLT
[22] “On judgment day, many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ [23] But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ “

However, what if God had not told us why He allows us to suffer in this life! We would come up with all sorts of explanations and justifications but never really know God’s purpose for our suffering. We would not understand how much God hates sin, how sin prevents us from having fellowship with Him, our holy God, and what measures He has taken to ensure that we are ready for our role in His eternal kingdom.

Knowing God’s purpose for our hardships makes all the difference between resistence and rebellion or even fear of punishment, and our willingness to submit to His discipline without question.

I think that the worst way in which we can react to suffering is to blame the devil! We even think that Satan is more powerful than God or that he can harm us without God’s permission or intervention. The book of Job should put paid to that lie!

The Apostle Paul discovered the best and most reassuring solution to the issue of suffering.

Romans 8:28-29 NIV
[28] “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. [29] For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

Armed with this assurance, of both God’s unassailable sovereignty and His glorious purpose, suffering and hardship take on a new meaning in this life.

We are God’s dearly-loved children. Our suffering is not random, mindless, or meaningless. He is training us for our role in eternity. He wants sons and daughters like His own Son. He will do what it takes to make us holy and like Jesus. He has promised us not only grace to endure and overcome but also assurance that He Himself will finish what He started.

God will test every facet of our faith in Him through trials of every kind until we pass every test with unshakeable confidence in His love and goodness, no matter what He calls us to suffer.

Armed with knowledge and understanding, we can embrace our suffering with joy because we are absolutely secure in God’s love.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV
[16] “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. [17] For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. [18] So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”