Paul's writing to a church that's been through real opposition - they're scared, they're suffering. But instead of commiserating about how hard it is, he's noticing that their faith is actually growing. The suffering isn't destroying them - it's developing them.
I'm an oncology nurse, and I've watched people respond to a cancer diagnosis in different ways. Some people's faith gets smaller - God feels farther away, life gets smaller. But some people's faith actually deepens. They hold onto God differently. They understand their own mortality and it clarifies what matters. Their faith grows.
I don't think the suffering is good. But I do think Paul's right - it can be the condition for growth. I'm trying to approach my own difficulties with that understanding. Not welcoming the hardship, but asking what my faith is becoming in the midst of it.
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