The third purpose of all forms of human suffering is as a reminder of our reliance on our God to address adequately our otherwise-insurmountable weaknesses and problems.
A key scriptural passage emphasizing this point is 2 Corinthians 1:8-11; “For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust on ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us, in whom we trust that he will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.”
Paul experienced extreme trouble and tribulation, leaving him with a sense of hopelessness of an unbearable life. At the end of his tether, he prayed to the Father, and,- he believed,- others prayed along with him to lay claim on the Lord’s promise to be with His people always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). The Giver of good and perfect gifts (James 1:17) must have then provided the apostle wisdom (James 1:5) enough to change his great pessimism, and perhaps improving the trying situation he faced. God’s providence covers all His people, as He declared in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
It is God who will supply our “every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19) but we ourselves need to realize this,- which we simply cannot if there is no suffering nor trial that we cannot overcome ourselves. Generally, human ways work for many of our needs but not for all of them; some of our ways lead to death (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). Personal self-interest in fulfilling man’s desires (such as the “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5:19-21) get in the way, even in prayers of request to our Father (James 1:12-14; 4:1-3). We have to humble ourselves and rely on our Father completely, laying our cares and anxieties on Him who cares for us (1 Peter 5:6-7).
Storms at sea are needed to make men fear for their lives and beg their Maker to save them, which He does (Matthew 8:23-27). The personal pain suffered by paralytics, when healed by God’s Son, brought fear to the crowds who saw the miracle, made them fear God and then glorify Him (Matthew 9:1-8).
In truth, the evidence of an all-knowing, all-powerful Deity is all around us as well as in us so that we are without excuse for denying His existence (Romans 1:18-21). For suppressing the available evidence of His existence so as to free themselves from God’s authority over their lives, God gave men up to sin and the eternal dire consequences of sin (Romans 1:22 to 2:16). To call sinners back to their senses, for them to acknowledge their limitations and wretched state, God has permitted man to exist in a broken world filled with every form of suffering (Romans 8:18-23). In this world, we await our appointment of death and Divine judgment (Hebrews 9:27; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10). Our suffering and pain is common to all human beings, Christian or otherwise, but to the obedient believer is given hope for a new world yet unseen (Romans 8:24-25) where there will be no suffering at all (Revelation 21:1-7).
We have, intuitively, eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Suffering now makes us yearn for something very much better that will last forever. It is this hope that draws our hearts and minds back to our God and to transform our selves to want to follow His will (Romans 12:1-2) to receive the sure promise of eternal salvation. Meanwhile, our help and strength to endure suffering comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Psalm 121:2).
Psalms 121:2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.