Suffering is part if the growing process of being transformed by the Holy Spirit. There is no substitute for being as low as you can go, and finding out God is with you through it all!
"But now thus says the Lord,he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."Isa. 43:1-3a
Read the book of Job if you want to learn about suffering. Job was my best friend after a failed foot reconstruction left me unable to walk or talkstalks. I learned more about the riches if Christ during that period than during any other part of my Christian walk.
Here is a good verse to memorize:
"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 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. Romans 5:3-5
Praying God brings you through this and you become a strong man in The Lord.
