The Sugar-Coating

Here, the author challenges us to knock the sugar-coating off our Bibles and realize, “Self-pity is about the least attractive character trait humans can develop and tends to find its source in comparison. Experiencing pain is normal, telling yourself that your pain is worse, or engaging in the ultimate pitying act: deciding that God doesn’t love you because of your pain—is deciding that because your leg hurts, you’ll stab yourself in the eye.”

God Matures Us through Suffering, Not Miracles

“Usually, God does not intend to rescue us from the hardships of this life, but rather to use them for our benefit. Suffering is God’s method of producing endurance and growth in the life of Christians. Peter, James, Paul, and Jesus all talked about how God uses suffering to develop godliness and perseverance in us.”

He Will Turn Our Grief into Joy

In this post, Randy Alcorn writes, “God doesn’t only promise to replace our grief with joy, but to turn it into joy. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”