Lessons From Paul’s Unexpected Trials
I host grief groups at my counseling office. I remember the first time, when twenty suffering people, representing every kind of heartache, sat together in a room. One by one, they told their stories. As they spoke, the atmosphere in the room changed. The pain was so real it felt tangible. Under the table, I reached for my co-worker's hand and looked up to see a tear fall down her cheek. Hearing so much sadness was heartbreaking. Even after hosting several groups, it never gets easier. One staff member said afterward, “I don’t think I'm able to be around that much suffering, my heart can’t take it”.
Have you ever wondered why God allows suffering? Many people assume that being a Christian should remove hardship. They expect that walking closely with God will lead to an easier path. Paul in the Bible gives us a very different perspective. After encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus, Paul devoted his life to preaching Christ. Yet instead of comfort, his ministry was marked by suffering. He was beaten, imprisoned, rejected, shipwrecked, mocked, and wounded. Paul described some of these hardships in 2 Corinthians: “In stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.”( 2 Corinthians 11:23)
His suffering may have seemed confusing. How could someone so faithful experience so much pain? Paul pleaded with God concerning what he called a “thorn in the flesh.” Three times he asked God to remove it. Instead of removing the weakness, God said: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Paul learned that his weakness created a visual display of God's strength and showed how desperately he needed God. He eventually reached a place where he said, “For when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
Some of Paul’s most influential letters were written while he was in prison, confined in chains. Rather than stopping God's purposes, suffering became part of the testimony God used to impact others and accomplish His will. Through suffering, Paul came to know God as Sustainer, Comforter, and the source of his All-Sufficient Grace. His pain deepened his dependence on Christ.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
Many people are carrying unexpected suffering today. Some face physical pain, emotional exhaustion, rejection, disappointment, or ongoing battles they wish God would remove. Paul’s story reminds us that God’s silence does not mean God is absent. He remains near to the brokenhearted and faithful in every season. Sometimes God removes the hardship, and sometimes He strengthens us through it. We live in a broken world where suffering touches every life. Yet God continually uses brokenness to point us towards Jesus. Every experience of loss and pain reminds us that this world is not as it was intended to be and that we need a Savior. Without darkness, we would not fully understand light.
And in the same way, without experiencing brokenness, we could never fully appreciate the beauty of redemption. Through Christ, God brings hope into despair, comfort into sorrow, and beauty from ashes. Throughout Scripture, we see God's pattern repeated in every story. Brokenness enters, and God steps in to rescue and redeem. Each account reveals another aspect of His character and faithfulness. If Paul had never known suffering, he would not have known God's sustaining grace in the same way. Paul discovered that weakness didn’t disqualify him from being used by God. Instead, it became the very place where God's strength was most clearly revealed. And the same is true in our lives.
PRAYER
Father, help me trust You in suffering and weakness. Remind me that Your grace is sufficient and Your strength is enough. Teach me to depend on You and deepen my faith in every trial. Thank You for Your faithfulness and nearness to me. Amen.
Colette Fabry is the founder of A Right Heart Ministries, where she and her staff assist grieving individuals, guiding them to recognize God as the healer of all brokenness. Colette is the owner of Rochester Anger Management, a company dedicated to providing hope and healing for those in need. She holds a Masters degree in counseling and theology, and is nationally certified in conflict resolution as well as grief and loss. For the past 28 years, Colette has successfully taught problem-solving and strategies to overcome everyday obstacles. Colette is wife, mother of three sons, grandmother, a nationally known speaker and author. She enjoys reading, studying, writing and says God’s greatest accomplishment in her life has been raising her sons. She cherishes time spent with her grandchildren.
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Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.