Finding Purpose in Pain: The Hidden Gifts of Suffering
Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a painful season wondering, “Why is this happening to me?”
I have too.
When life feels unbearably heavy, it’s easy to wonder if anything good could ever come from our pain. Yet as hard as it is to accept, suffering is an unavoidable part of our journey with Jesus. Some believers wear it like a badge of honor; others pray it away the moment it appears.
Both extremes miss something vital.
What if our suffering, though unwanted and sometimes excruciating, is actually sacred ground? What if those seasons we wish would end are the very places where God meets us most profoundly?
The apostle Paul knew suffering well. In his letters, he lists imprisonments, beatings, shipwrecks, hunger, and sleepless nights, not as complaints but as credentials. In Philippians, he even writes that it’s been “granted” to us to suffer for Christ’s sake, as if it’s a privilege.
Paul understood something: within suffering lies a hidden gift that can’t be discovered any other way.
And since there will be no pain in heaven (as 1 Corinthians 15 and Revelation 21 remind us), there are certain lessons about God’s heart that we can only learn here and now.
Let me share four truths about suffering that have reshaped how I walk through pain and how I hope you will too.
1. Suffering Has a Way of Finding You
You don’t need to go looking for suffering.
Paul didn’t pursue beatings or persecution; he simply refused to compromise the gospel. The price he paid reflected the value of the message he carried.
The early apostles understood this too. After being flogged for preaching, Acts 5:41 says they left “rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.”
They didn’t celebrate pain; they celebrated purpose.
When suffering finds you, remember, you’re in good company. Every hero of faith endured hardship, not because they sought pain, but because they valued obedience more than comfort.
2. Suffering Reveals What We Truly Care About
What we’re willing to suffer for reveals what we love most.
During the COVID pandemic, our ministry school faced a devastating financial crisis. To survive, we had to build an online program from scratch in six weeks, or close the doors for good.
Our team of seventy-two worked fourteen-hour days, seven days a week.
It was exhausting.
But something beautiful happened in the midst of it: we became family.
Our shared sacrifice revealed the depth of our devotion to God, to our calling, and to one another.
The suffering wasn’t the goal, but it became the soil where love and loyalty took root.
When we endure pain for something bigger than ourselves, we discover what truly matters.
3. Suffering Changes Our Perspective
Years ago, I walked through a season of intense anxiety that lasted three and a half years. Panic attacks and fear replaced my dreams
and purpose. I felt completely lost.
In that valley, Romans 8:28 almost sounded cruel: “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him.”
How could this possibly work for good?
But over time, something unexpected happened. My wife and I began attending a small church where we met a pastor whose friendship would change our lives. That relationship eventually led us into our calling at Bethel Church.
Looking back, I see that the path I thought was a detour was actually divine direction.
Suffering stripped away what didn’t matter and reoriented us toward God’s purpose.
When we cling to Him in pain, He turns even our darkest moments into doorways of destiny.
4. Suffering Creates Bonds That Last Forever
There’s a sacred kind of closeness that only suffering can create.
When my wife was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, she called me in tears, saying, “My life is over.” My heart broke.
At that moment, the Lord whispered to me, “No one should ever suffer alone.”
So I chose to stay close.
I chose to grieve with her, to walk through the fire beside her. Over time, I watched her refuse to quit. Despite her tremors, she stood before a women’s gathering and shared her story of courage. When the room rose to its feet in applause, she came home radiant.
Her suffering had become a sermon.
Philippians 3:10 speaks of “the fellowship of His sufferings.” The Greek word for fellowship means participation or sharing. When we enter into the suffering of others, or our own, we don’t just bond with people; we bond with Jesus Himself.
Wherever there is pain, He is present. And when we choose to stay, to love, to endure with one another, we touch something eternal.
If you’re walking through suffering today, hear this: Jesus is near.
Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” When we press through the pain and take refuge in His presence, something divine happens. Heaven opens. Peace enters. And we realize that we are never alone.
Don’t give up. Don’t grow bitter.
Look for Him in your pain. He’s there sitting with you, loving you, and carrying you through.
One day, the suffering will end. But the faith, the intimacy, and the eternal bonds formed in the fire will remain forever.
My prayer for you is that, even in your darkest moments, you would encounter Jesus in ways you never have before. And that you’ll one day look back and see how every tear was weaving together a story of redemption and glory.
