Is Suffering A Bad Thing

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DustyRhodes

DustyRhodes

Senior Member
#1
Dec 30, 2016
2,117
599
113
#1
Romans 5:3-5English Standard Version (ESV)[SUP]3 [/SUP]Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [SUP]4 [/SUP]and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, [SUP]5 [/SUP]and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

2 Corinthians 12:10






Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

From personal experience, I have suffered much and upon reflection, have no
regrets. I've never asked for pity and neither have I pitied myself. I've been
dead on a street, I've been dead on an operating room gurney. By God's
miracles, He brought me to life every time. I was and am and always so very
grateful to Him. That suffering gave me the power to love Him with every beat
of my heart. I will now cling to Him like a vine clings to a wall and shall never
go back to life without Him.
 
Grace777x70

Grace777x70

Banned
#2
Nov 22, 2015
20,436
1,430
0
#2
No. certain types of suffering is not a bad thing. There are a few different types of suffering - some good...some not so good.
 
S

Stunnedbygrace

Senior Member
#3
Nov 12, 2015
9,112
822
113
#3
DustyRhodes said:
Romans 5:3-5English Standard Version (ESV)[SUP]3 [/SUP]Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [SUP]4 [/SUP]and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, [SUP]5 [/SUP]and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

2 Corinthians 12:10






Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

From personal experience, I have suffered much and upon reflection, have no
regrets. I've never asked for pity and neither have I pitied myself. I've been
dead on a street, I've been dead on an operating room gurney. By God's
miracles, He brought me to life every time. I was and am and always so very
grateful to Him. That suffering gave me the power to love Him with every beat
of my heart. I will now cling to Him like a vine clings to a wall and shall never
go back to life without Him.
Click to expand...
My suffering has grown and made more unshakable my faith. So it has increased my endurance just as this verse says. :)
 
Grace777x70

Grace777x70

Banned
#4
Nov 22, 2015
20,436
1,430
0
#4
Romans 8:33-39 (NASB)
[SUP]33 [/SUP] Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies;

[SUP]34 [/SUP] who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

[SUP]35 [/SUP] Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

[SUP]36 [/SUP] Just as it is written, "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED."

[SUP]37 [/SUP] But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

[SUP]38 [/SUP] For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

[SUP]39 [/SUP] nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
 
zone

zone

Senior Member
#6
Jun 13, 2010
27,214
164
63
#6
we have a ministry when we are suffering.
what is the witness we offer while in suffering?
 
L

LaurenTM

Guest
#7
#7
everyone suffers

no one wants to but we all do

the purpose is purification if you suffer in righteousness...like silver refined in the furnace

you can even learn if you suffer because of your own foolishness

the end result, if in Christ, may be what is good

but even Jesus despised the shame of the cross

13Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats[SUP]b[/SUP] ; do not be frightened.”

15But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

17For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.18For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

19After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— 20to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,

21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.[SUP]e[/SUP] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

I Peter 3
 
blue_ladybug

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
#8
Feb 21, 2014
70,869
9,601
113
#8
No, it makes you stronger for next time. :)
 
P

pottersclay

Guest
#9
#9
DustyRhodes said:
Romans 5:3-5English Standard Version (ESV)[SUP]3 [/SUP]Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [SUP]4 [/SUP]and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, [SUP]5 [/SUP]and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

2 Corinthians 12:10






Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

From personal experience, I have suffered much and upon reflection, have no
regrets. I've never asked for pity and neither have I pitied myself. I've been
dead on a street, I've been dead on an operating room gurney. By God's
miracles, He brought me to life every time. I was and am and always so very
grateful to Him. That suffering gave me the power to love Him with every beat
of my heart. I will now cling to Him like a vine clings to a wall and shall never
go back to life without Him.
Click to expand...
You're the exception to the rule saint......what doesn't kill us makes us stronger......Praise God he beat that saying with a stick...;)
 
Blain

Blain

The Word Weaver
#10
Aug 28, 2012
19,211
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#10
Our suffering is almost always not what it appears to be, the suffering I had in my life that I wrote in my testimony God has used to affect and impact the hearts of many people and the suffering that I go through now while being a different kind has brought me closer to God and has made gain understanding in many areas I wouldn't otherwise.

there is a saying that says pain is a great teacher this saying is true but sometimes the student doesn't like to listen to what is being taught. Sometimes suffering will make a person run away from God and destroy them inside sometimes it will strengthen and build a person up. two glass cups can both fall at the same times and shatter on the ground but they don't shatter the same one is shatter into a million pieces while another is made into a sharp weapon.

However in our suffering it is vital that we never go through it alone we must support and help one another encourage and show love in times of suffering regardless of our differences or our heated debates and if we have known suffering we should be all the more quick to help those who hurting
 
S

samuel23

Banned
#11
Dec 2, 2016
1,652
26
0
#11
If suffering is not a bad thing then I must be having a ball.
 
W

Wild

Guest
#12
#12
samuel23 said:
I suffering is not a bad thing then I must be having a ball.
Click to expand...
Most of life is suffering in one form or another. Some suffer more than others of course. Just remember, Jesus suffered for us first.
 
Blain

Blain

The Word Weaver
#13
Aug 28, 2012
19,211
2,547
113
#13
samuel23 said:
If suffering is not a bad thing then I must be having a ball.
Click to expand...
I too am suffering my friend I have been unable to sleep well for a couple of weeks now and I am so exhausted I tonight I walked across the street when it didn't say walk and was almost killed but by God's grace I was not harmed and luckily accidents happened

I also am suffering inside as well I am filled with lots of doubt and sadness and pain inside to the point where I almost break but even so I say to the Lord I will trust you. Suffering is never easy in the season it's happening and it's so hard sometimes to stay strong in it this is why we need each other in these times
 
preacher4truth

preacher4truth

Senior Member
#14
Dec 28, 2016
9,171
2,718
113
#14
Suffering is God's will for the and is given to the believer just as faith is also granted to the believer (belief isn't an inherent ability); Philippians 1:29, thus it is for our good.
 
notbythesword

notbythesword

Senior Member
#15
Apr 28, 2015
305
5
0
#15
There are many ways in which one can suffer. One of them being persecution. We read in Matthew 5:11-12 You are blessed when they insult and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

This is just one example of people who may have lived in suffering while on earth, but are actually blessed because of it. Job is another example of one who was persecuted but overcame and was blessed because of it. I truly believe that sometimes our hardships and adversities in life, can actually turn out to be blessings.
 
Laish

Laish

Senior Member
#16
Jul 31, 2016
1,666
448
83
57
#16
Suffering got me humble enough to become willing and after willing came faith .
So suffering is a great thing . It was a gift from God .
Blessings
Bill
 
G

GODisLOVE7

Guest
#17
#17
DustyRhodes said:
Romans 5:3-5English Standard Version (ESV)[SUP]3 [/SUP]Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [SUP]4 [/SUP]and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, [SUP]5 [/SUP]and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

2 Corinthians 12:10






Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

From personal experience, I have suffered much and upon reflection, have no
regrets. I've never asked for pity and neither have I pitied myself. I've been
dead on a street, I've been dead on an operating room gurney. By God's
miracles, He brought me to life every time. I was and am and always so very
grateful to Him. That suffering gave me the power to love Him with every beat
of my heart. I will now cling to Him like a vine clings to a wall and shall never
go back to life without Him.
Click to expand...
This deep, painful and aching suffering brings us to our knees and facilitates us coming to the end of ourselves. It takes us to a place where no human (including ourselves) can alleviate the anguish. Only His love can heal.

Sometimes we need to be completely broken and shattered to experience His pure love. We can truly experience the need for a Saviour, because it is impossible without Him. Faith, obedience, perseverance, and repentance blossom from those muddy waters.

We don't often hear of radical stories like this and these folks experience judgement from their brothers and sisters in Christ far too much. This is a part of the journey, sadly.

All the more reason to give a kind word to someone, laugh, smile, and connect with people. You never know the battle that God has asked them to fight.

DustyRhodes, you are on a blessed path. All praise goes to God! Only He can create such a beautiful story as yours.
 
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WineRose

WineRose

Senior Member
#18
Jan 3, 2017
3,631
265
83
Row A, Column 9
#18
It depends on which 'suffering' you are talking about. If you mean the type of suffering that brings us to God, no, of course not. Suffering can be a necessary negative in order to acheive a greater positive.

But if you mean suffering in Hell...well, you know.
 
RickyZ

RickyZ

Senior Member
#19
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
113
#19
I would be concerned if one wasn't suffering...

John 15:19
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

James 4:4
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

John 12:25
Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

2 Corinthians 12:10
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Corinthians 4
[SUP]11 [/SUP]Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; [SUP]12 [/SUP]And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: [SUP]13 [/SUP]Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off scouring of all things unto this day. [SUP]14 [/SUP]I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you."

Matthew 5
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 10
22 You will be hated by everyone because of Me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Philippians 1
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith


1 Thessalonians 3
7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.


***

That feeling that you don't belong in this world? It's because you don't belong to this world. The fact that you suffer in it says you must be doing something right.
 
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