25 Reasons Why Christians Suffer
1. To produce the fruit of patience
Rom. 5:3; James 1:3-4; Heb. 10:36
2. To produce the fruit of joy
Ps. 30:5; 126:5-6
3. To produce the fruit of maturity
Eccles. 7:3; 1 Pet. 5:10
4. To produce the fruit of righteousness
Heb. 12:11
5. To silence the devil
Job 1:9, 10, 20-22
6. To teach us
Ps. 119:67, 71
7. To purify our lives
Job 23:10; Ps. 66:10-12; Isa. 1:25; 48:10; Prov. 17:3; 1 Pet. 1:7
8. To make us like Christ
Heb. 12:9, 10; 1 Pet. 4:12-13; Phil. 3:10; 2 Cor. 4:7-10
9. To glorify God
Ps. 50:15; John 9:1-3; 11:1-4; 21:18-19; Phil. 1:19-20
10. To prevent us from sinning
2 Cor. 12:7, 9-10
11. To make us confess when we do sin
Judg. 10:6-7, 15-16; Ps. 32:3-5; Hos. 5:15; 6:1; 2 Chron. 15:3-4
12. To chasten us for our sin
1 Pet. 4:17
13. To prove our sonship
Heb. 12:5-6
14. To reveal ourselves to ourselves
Job 42:6; Luke 15:18
15. To help our prayer life
Isa. 26:16
16. To become an example to others
2 Cor. 6:4-5; 1 Thess. 1:6-7
17. To qualify us as counselors
Rom. 12:15; Gal. 6:2; 2 Cor. 1:3-5
18. To further the gospel witness
Acts 8:1-5; 16:25-34; Phil. 1:12-13; 2 Tim. 4:6-8, 16-17
19. To make us more than conquerors
2 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 8:35, 37
20. To give us insight into God’s nature
Job 42:5; Rom. 8:14-15, 18
21. To drive us closer to God
1 Pet. 4:14; 2 Cor. 12:10
22. To prepare us for a greater ministry
1 Kings 17-18; John 12:24
23. To provide for us a reward
Matt. 5:10-12; 19:27-29; Rom. 8:16-17; 2 Cor. 4:17
24. To prepare us for the kingdom
2 Thess. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:12
25. To show God’s sovereignty
Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 10:13; Ps. 66:10-12; Gen. 45:5-8; 50:20
13 Proper Reactions to Suffering
1. Expect suffering.
John 15:19-20; 16:2, 20, 33; Heb. 12:9-10; 2 Tim. 3:12
2. Commit your soul to God at the very beginning of your suffering.
Ps. 3:5-6; 37:3; 31:5; Dan. 3:14-18; Heb. 6:17-20; 1 Pet. 4:19
3. Don’t try to understand all the reasons for your suffering.
Rom. 8:28
4. Realize others suffer.
1 Cor. 10:13; 1 Pet. 5:8-9
5. Pray while in your suffering.
Ps. 50:15; Job 42:10; James 5:13; Mark 9:20-24
6. Don’t despise your suffering.
Heb. 12:5
7. Don’t faint because you’re suffering.
Prov. 24:10; Heb. 12:5
8. Patiently endure your suffering in a steadfast way.
Rom. 12:12; 2 Tim. 2:3; James 5:10; 1 Pet. 2:20
9. Thank God for your sufferings.
Ps. 42:5; 1 Thess. 5:18
10. Rejoice because of your sufferings.
Acts 5:40-41; 16:25; Phil. 4:4; James 1:2; 5:11
11. Don’t become a self-made martyr because of your sufferings.
Heb. 12:12-13
12. Don’t suffer needlessly.
1 Pet. 2:20; 3:17; 4:15-17
13. Weigh your current suffering against the coming glory.
John 16:20-21; Rom. 8:18
Willmington's book of Bible lists
1. To produce the fruit of patience
Rom. 5:3; James 1:3-4; Heb. 10:36
2. To produce the fruit of joy
Ps. 30:5; 126:5-6
3. To produce the fruit of maturity
Eccles. 7:3; 1 Pet. 5:10
4. To produce the fruit of righteousness
Heb. 12:11
5. To silence the devil
Job 1:9, 10, 20-22
6. To teach us
Ps. 119:67, 71
7. To purify our lives
Job 23:10; Ps. 66:10-12; Isa. 1:25; 48:10; Prov. 17:3; 1 Pet. 1:7
8. To make us like Christ
Heb. 12:9, 10; 1 Pet. 4:12-13; Phil. 3:10; 2 Cor. 4:7-10
9. To glorify God
Ps. 50:15; John 9:1-3; 11:1-4; 21:18-19; Phil. 1:19-20
10. To prevent us from sinning
2 Cor. 12:7, 9-10
11. To make us confess when we do sin
Judg. 10:6-7, 15-16; Ps. 32:3-5; Hos. 5:15; 6:1; 2 Chron. 15:3-4
12. To chasten us for our sin
1 Pet. 4:17
13. To prove our sonship
Heb. 12:5-6
14. To reveal ourselves to ourselves
Job 42:6; Luke 15:18
15. To help our prayer life
Isa. 26:16
16. To become an example to others
2 Cor. 6:4-5; 1 Thess. 1:6-7
17. To qualify us as counselors
Rom. 12:15; Gal. 6:2; 2 Cor. 1:3-5
18. To further the gospel witness
Acts 8:1-5; 16:25-34; Phil. 1:12-13; 2 Tim. 4:6-8, 16-17
19. To make us more than conquerors
2 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 8:35, 37
20. To give us insight into God’s nature
Job 42:5; Rom. 8:14-15, 18
21. To drive us closer to God
1 Pet. 4:14; 2 Cor. 12:10
22. To prepare us for a greater ministry
1 Kings 17-18; John 12:24
23. To provide for us a reward
Matt. 5:10-12; 19:27-29; Rom. 8:16-17; 2 Cor. 4:17
24. To prepare us for the kingdom
2 Thess. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:12
25. To show God’s sovereignty
Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 10:13; Ps. 66:10-12; Gen. 45:5-8; 50:20
13 Proper Reactions to Suffering
1. Expect suffering.
John 15:19-20; 16:2, 20, 33; Heb. 12:9-10; 2 Tim. 3:12
2. Commit your soul to God at the very beginning of your suffering.
Ps. 3:5-6; 37:3; 31:5; Dan. 3:14-18; Heb. 6:17-20; 1 Pet. 4:19
3. Don’t try to understand all the reasons for your suffering.
Rom. 8:28
4. Realize others suffer.
1 Cor. 10:13; 1 Pet. 5:8-9
5. Pray while in your suffering.
Ps. 50:15; Job 42:10; James 5:13; Mark 9:20-24
6. Don’t despise your suffering.
Heb. 12:5
7. Don’t faint because you’re suffering.
Prov. 24:10; Heb. 12:5
8. Patiently endure your suffering in a steadfast way.
Rom. 12:12; 2 Tim. 2:3; James 5:10; 1 Pet. 2:20
9. Thank God for your sufferings.
Ps. 42:5; 1 Thess. 5:18
10. Rejoice because of your sufferings.
Acts 5:40-41; 16:25; Phil. 4:4; James 1:2; 5:11
11. Don’t become a self-made martyr because of your sufferings.
Heb. 12:12-13
12. Don’t suffer needlessly.
1 Pet. 2:20; 3:17; 4:15-17
13. Weigh your current suffering against the coming glory.
John 16:20-21; Rom. 8:18
Willmington's book of Bible lists
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