Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

God Uses Our Suffering to Produce Steadfastness {No Matter What Monday}

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james 1-2-4

Quick, answer this question: what’s 3 times 8?

As a parent, there are three major hurdles I’ve jumped with my kids: potty training, learning to read, and memorizing multiplication tables. All three of my kids have conquered the first two skills. My youngest is about to start her times tables. I expect she’ll finish learning them in time for me to have a quick celebration . . . before it dawns on me that none of them know how to drive. (Yikes.)

As an adult, we take it for granted that we know our multiplication tables. But as an 8-year-old staring at the giant table of 144 numbers to learn, it seems overwhelming. Yes, there will probably be tears. For both of us. But the hours of drilling and repeating and chanting out loud, “3 times 1 is 3. 3 times 2 is 6. 3 times 3 is 9 . . .” will eventually result in my daughter instinctively knowing the answer to 3 times 8.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

In today’s passage, James is reminding his readers that God has a purpose in their suffering. The testing of their faith will produce steadfastness, and steadfastness will lead to spiritual maturity. James says we should count it all joy when our trials produce these traits in us.

Steadfastness and spiritual maturity may feel about as exciting to you as learning multiplication tables. But from the Lord’s perspective, our steadfastness is beautiful. Just as my daughter’s time memorizing math facts will not be wasted, your suffering will not be wasted. It will produce God’s desired effect: the growth of your faith and character, your perseverance in hope, and your full equipping for the next task God has for you. And from an eternal viewpoint, that’s a great reason to rejoice!

No matter what you face this week, God will use your suffering to produce steadfastness.

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Our Suffering Increases Our Reliance on Him {No Matter What Monday}

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2 cor 1.8-9

My grandpa loved to tell the story of letting my dad drive a tractor when he was a young child. My dad sat on his dad’s lap with his small hands on the steering wheel as they drove over smooth ground. But when they hit a rough patch of bumpy road and the steering wheel bounced erratically, he would throw his hands in the air and yell, “Take it, Dad!”

In a similar way, our suffering causes us to cry out to our Heavenly Father for help. When life is smooth, we are often lulled into thinking we can handle things on our own. Then the rocky patches come and we have no choice but to throw up our hands and plead with Him to pull us through.

“For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9)

In these verses, Paul is telling the Corinthians about his severe suffering—trials so severe that Paul and his companions hoped death would come quickly. But Paul sees God’s purpose in the pain: “to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”

We cherish our self-sufficiency, don’t we? It’s hard to admit our weakness and ask for help. But when our suffering pushes us to deeper reliance on the Lord, we find He is there, gripping the wheel, guiding us through the hard times. Our greater reliance on Him is a gift He gives us by His grace.

No matter what you face this week, God will use your suffering to grow your reliance on Him.

P.S. This week marks the one-year anniversary of these “No Matter What Monday” devotionals. You can read all 52 devotionals on my website and subscribe to receive the next 52 delivered straight to your inbox. Thanks for reading!

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Our Suffering Advances the Gospel {No Matter What Monday}

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phil 1-12-14

Have you ever wondered if there was a purpose to your pain? Knowing there’s a purpose behind our difficult circumstances doesn’t take away the sting of suffering, but it can give us a glimmer of encouragement and help us persevere.

This month, we’re looking at God’s purpose in suffering. Our goal isn’t to wrap up suffering in a neat package with a bow. There’s nothing pretty about pain. But in God’s kind sovereignty, He brings beauty from brokenness as He weaves our trials into the tapestry of His purposes.

In Philippians, Paul addresses friends who were upset about his imprisonment. These friends feared Paul’s imprisonment would end his travel and preaching. They may have worried that the entire Christian movement would fizzle out and die. But Paul reassured them that the gospel continued to go forth:

“I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” (Philippians 1:12-14)

Your suffering may look differently from Paul’s, but God will use it to advance the gospel. Maybe your suffering is private. No one else even knows. But as you grow in dependence on the Lord, you’re advancing the gospel in your own heart. If your suffering is known by your family or a small circle of friends, they can watch you run to the Lord with your pain and be encouraged to trust Him more.

Whether you’re encouraging thousands with your story or quietly walking in obedience each day, rest assured that in God’s economy, no suffering is wasted. Your trials are advancing the good news of God’s faithfulness, mercy, and grace.

No matter what we face this week, our suffering advances the gospel.

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Nothing Compares to Knowing Christ {No Matter What Monday}

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phil-3-8

A few years ago, I lost something of great value. My laptop crashed and was beyond repair. I lost several documents, most of which could be reconstructed. But I was devastated to learn I’d lost a year’s worth of photos and videos. They were irreplaceable, and they were gone.

The local repair shop couldn’t salvage anything. Then we learned of a company that would be likely to get many of the photos off the damaged hard drive. But it was expensive. When I told my husband the cost, he said: “There’s no price we can put on those photos. Do it.” Thankfully, the data retrieval company returned almost all of my priceless memories.

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him. (Philippians 3:8-9a)

The apostle Paul, author of these verses, gave up everything to follow Christ. His reputation, his standing in the Jewish community, his pedigree of law-keeping and service, his safety, and his freedom. Why would he make such a costly sacrifice? Because he knew no reputation, no position, no comfort, no riches would be a precious as His Savior. The worth of knowing Christ surpasses anything else this world can offer.

Photos are precious to me, and I grieved when I thought I’d lost them. However, knowing Christ is more valuable than my most priceless possession. More valuable than my home, my health, my freedom, or even my family. The treasure of knowing Christ is freely given and cannot be taken away. When we suffer loss, we can cling to the surpassing worth of knowing our Lord and Savior.

No matter what you face this week, remember nothing compares to the worth of knowing Jesus Christ.

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