Learn to Suffer Well
Learn to endure suffering gracefully. This phrase occasionally crosses my mind, but how can I learn to endure suffering well? What does that even mean? Jesus experienced rejection, mockery, laughter, and being called insane. Despite these hardships, He refrained from retaliation or self-defense when falsely accused. If I aspire to be like Jesus, shouldn’t I anticipate facing rejection, criticism, and belittling? Why do I believe I shouldn’t encounter trials and struggles in my own life if Jesus did? While I may never endure suffering to the extent of Jesus, can I learn to “count it all joy”? James 1:2 (ESV) states, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” This can indeed be challenging and not always easy. The verse assures us that trials and challenges will come, as it says, “when” or “whenever.” The key lies in our choice of response. We can try to avoid or take the easy way out, but Jesus’ way is always through. Isaiah 43:2-3 says, “when you pass...