None of us like suffering! There is no one past, present, or future who would raise their hand to volunteer to suffer. If the truth is told, each of us at one time or another desired to walk through life like we are walking through a field of sunflowers and daisies; we want our life to be easy.  Nevertheless, what does suffering actually mean? Well, the KJV dictionary defines the word suffer as to feel or bear what is painful, disagreeable, or distressing, either to the body or mind; to undergo. The Holy Spirit has to remind each of us to change our minds from an earthly perspective to a heavenly one. Here’s why….

    “It Was Good for Me” to be afflicted, to be rejected, talked about, left behind, and disappointed. We all know the story about Job. He was an upright man in God’s eyes according to Job 1:1. He lost his family, servants, home, and his good health. All of this was as a result of a conversation that Satan had with God. Satan said to God in Job 1 verses 9-11 if I can paraphrase it like this: Job doesn’t fear you for anything and you have this hedge of protection around him, but if you remove it, I guarantee you that Job will curse you. When you and I read the story of Job, He could not understand his suffering. Job, like so many of us, questioned God and are perplexed as to why so much pain. We cannot and do not always understand Romans 8:28 that in means in Monica terminology all things, the good, the bad, and the ugly will work for my good because I love God and I am called according to His purpose. It is in the fire when you and I will be able to see that “It Was Good for Me”!

     So why do you and I have to suffer? To purify, to strengthen, and to mold us, to prune and shape us into the image of Jesus and ultimately for God’s glory. We can talk from now until Jesus comes back again about why it was good for us to suffer. The bottom line is if Jesus suffered then why can’t you and I bear that same suffering. When you realize your life is not about you and that we’ve been bought with the precious blood of Jesus, our attitude will be “It Was Good for Me”!