I am over at iBelieve.com talking about the gift of suffering.

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As I look around there seems to be a lot of suffering in the lives of my friends. Maybe even more than usual. Mother in laws that are terminally ill, a mom who is dealing with the news that her little son has cancer, another mom who has just miscarried twins, a couple who long for a child and yet their arms remain empty. Suffering and sadness is everywhere.

Whenever I think of suffering I think of the puritans. They knew what it meant to experience hard times and loss in their life. I think this is why they wrote so much about it. Suffering was a normal part of life for many of them.

John Bunyan lost his first wife, had a daughter who was blind, and found himself incarcerated for 10 years for preaching in public.

Spurgeon’s mother had 17 children of whom 9 died in infancy.

“I love my suffering because it comes from God.” These words were spoken by a woman who lived a coupled hundred years ago. Can you say this? Do you love your suffering because it comes from God?

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