May sufferings be the memorable gems of learning how to trust everything to God’s unfailing love.

My mind is full and overflowing with troubling matters both individually and collectively in the world we find ourselves. I ask myself, what priorities am I to follow? How am I to look at all the chaos, killings and disaster? What conclusions am I to draw? And as a writer of a Blessings blog how do I make a blessing out of so much suffering? Where’s the good news, the positive conclusion? As I’m asking for guidance on this matter, another truth comes to fore.

After all, Jesus never once said it was going to be easy. On the contrary, He warned life was going to be extremely difficult. But the blessing comes after the birth pains. For “time” stands at the door awaiting the birth of Jesus return.

Anyone who has delivered a baby knows the pain endured before birth. But when the baby is finally in the arms of its mother, the distress is forgotten for the joy of its reward.

 Matthew 24:7-8 New International Version (NIV)7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

 Hebrews 12:1-2New Living Translation (NLT)12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Jesus went before us; He experienced the pain and suffering. And He wants us to know, what He had to endure was worth the grief, that WE were worth the suffering.