March 1, 2009

Suffering is a very real part of our experience in the "not yet" of God's kingdom. We will certainly encounter suffering. God provides many comforts and helps to us in our suffering, including the Holy Spirit, fellow believers, and the hope that we have. We can also gain encouragement by seeing God's purposes in suffering, both for us individually and also for creation. God calls us to endure our suffering in hope, and we can be sure that he cares about us in our suffering.