After two months in a cast, I’m tired of the hassle, the pain, the immobility, the annoyance. Two weeks seemed plenty. I feel done. I want to be off of survival mode. I realize how weak I am when it comes to physical long-term suffering. I know many who deal with far, far more physical and emotion suffering. I’ve talked with them this week. I wish I could take a wand and make it all disappear for them, (and me too), but perhaps I wouldn’t be doing them any favors.

 Malcolm’s point is that our character and moral development is largely dependent on the presence and  experience of suffering. Without suffering we would be moral weaklings. Every weight lifter knows it requires resistance to build muscle. It requires a constant increase in weights to build bigger muscles. Strength and faith muscles are built under trials.

 God would agree. In II Corinthians 4:17 it says, “For momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.”

I do not like suffering. I do not like pain. But I would never trade the character that has been worked into my life because of the trials I have waded through. If you find yourself this week staring in the face of long-term suffering, do not lose heart. Look through the pain to see the blessings and character that God is molding into your life. He will never waste a pain and will use suffering to forge character and reveal to us sides of Himself we never would have seen otherwise.