What Is The Benefit Of Going Through Hard Times?

2 Corin. 1:3-5 -  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.   NASU
 
2 Corin. 1:3-5 - All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! 4 He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. 5 We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort…
(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.) 
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• Why Two Translations 

I thought it might be beneficial for us to read this scripture from two translations for clarity. I believe The Message makes it very clear what is happening when we go through hard times. 

• First Benefit Of Hard Times 

According to verse 4 above in The Message, God comes alongside us when we are going through hard times.
 
WOW!
 
I don't know about you I can only speak for myself, but many times when I've gone through hard times I thought God wasn't there. It was like God had gone on a vacation, and I was left to handle the mess by myself.
 
I was wrong.
 
God was there. In fact, the verse says, "He comes alongside us when we go through hard times."  We need to memorize this verse and never forget it.
 
He is right beside us. He has not abandoned us. When we needed Him the most He will be there.  

In the book of Hebrews 13:5-6 it says, "for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID." NASU 

• Second Benefit Of Hard Times 

We get to use our experience from enduring hard times with others who are going through the same or a similarly hard time.
 
"…before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us."

We get to be the shoulder a person can lean on as they go through their difficult time. We get to share with them how God was there for us and that God is there for them.
 
God isn't in the business of bailing out on us when we need Him the most.   

• Conclusion 

You will want to assure the person enduring a hard time that all they have to do is wait patiently for God. He will help them make it safely to the other side of this trial.
 
Patience and trust are the key ingredients that are needed when going through hard times.
 
The next time you are going through a hard time, you will want to remember God is with you and you will use your experience to help someone else in the future.
 
My suggestion is to take good notes because you will be called on in the future to share your experience with others.
 
Think On These:
 
This would be a wonderful world if men showed as much patience in all things as they
do in waiting for a fish to bite.
 
Patience is often bitter, but its fruit is sweet.
 
Patience is the ability to count down before blasting off.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word