The first and greatest commandment is to love God with all our hearts, souls and minds. We’ve already seen how suffering changes you and me, enabling us to love God more fully. Yet suffering also plays a part in our obedience to the second greatest commandment: to love our neighbors as ourselves. Through suffering we are enabled to love, give, support, stand by, encourage, and empathize with our neighbors in ways we were never able to before. “He that suffereth most hath most to give.”
–Anonymous, Embracing Obscurity
I don’t know how you have had to suffer…
…physically…
…emotionally…
…mentally…
…even spiritually…
And when we suffer in one way it often leads to suffering in one or more of the other ways.
But realize this, that God will walk with you through your suffering. And even if the suffering never leaves you (as it never did with Paul’s “thorn”), realize that having God with you in the midst of the suffering will be sufficient and enough to count your walk in it as a victory. His grace is sufficient, and we are made strong in Him when we deal with suffering and weakness in ourselves.
And going through your struggle – whether you have emerged from it on the other side or are in the midst of it right now – gives you an ability to speak into the lives of others in a new way. You have new empathy that will help you love, give, support, and encourage others who are in similar circumstances.
Don’t waste your suffering on self-pity. Use your suffering as a tool to minister to others. Jesus was the ultimate “wounded healer.” Follow His example and allow your wounds and your scars to guide you into deeper and fuller love and compassion and ministry to others.