Have you ever wondered why you suffer? You may suffer with a chronic disease. Perhaps you suffer from depression or anxiety. Maybe you have lost something or someone you love and wonder WHY your pain is so intense. Sometimes we home school moms suffer the subtle condemnation of our friends who choose not to homeschool their kids and wonder why we are such curiosities. Suffering can be physical, mental, or spiritual. There are times when our suffering is directly related to our personal choices, but sometimes I believe the Lord allows our suffering for the sake of others.

Recently when I was on a fabulous ski vacation with my family, I had trouble getting my ski boot attached to my ski binding. In fact, I pushed, pulled, and stomped on the binding with my foot until my quadricep muscle was burning with fatigue. I strained and fought with that silly boot and binding for a good 20 minutes. So frustrating, and yet I knew the procedure from years of skiing…why was I having so much trouble doing something that I knew how to do?

Along came my husband, and he quickly assessed the situation…somehow in my exasperation, I had closed the binding position, and all he had to do was open the binding and my ski boot popped right in. Well, I felt like a fool, but I was so grateful for David’s intervention. It sounds selfish, but I have to admit, I skiied down the slope wondering WHY the Lord had allowed such a delay in my fun.

Later that afternoon I understood. I was coming down a snow-covered slope when I came upon a lonely man struggling with his ski binding. He was clearly exasperated, and I asked if I could help. He looked up at me and said it was just so frustrating trying to get his boot back into the ski binding. I quickly looked at the binding and realized he was in the exact same situation I had been in earlier that day…all I did was do for him what my husband had done for me…I pushed my ski pole on the catch, and the binding opened so he could slip his boot into the binding.

As I glided down the mountain, I thanked the Lord for allowing my earlier predicament. My suffering had caused me to see with clarity the need of another who was also suffering so that I could offer the Lord’s kindness.

Although this example of suffering is trivial, I do remember some serious suffering with a capital S! When my son, Davis, died in 1991, I suffered more physical, mental, and spiritual pain than I had ever experienced in my life. The agony was sometimes overwhelming, and I didn’t smile for 6 months. But soon after I began to heal, the Lord showed me a way to serve Him by using my suffering. I heard about a grief recovery program at my church and decided to volunteer. The professional counselor knew that she could refer grieving moms who had lost children to me because I knew what it felt like to have empty arms. I had walked the same path that they were walking, and with God’s help, I had survived to praise Him even in the bleak mystery of loss.

Are you currently suffering? What are your stories of grief or pain? Perhaps the Lord wants to use your suffering for the sake of others. Open your eyes; tell Him you’re ready to give back to those who need His comfort. Do for them what He has done for you.