In the last two blogs, I’ve talked about suffering for wrongdoing and suffering out of compassion and community. The third type of suffering is that which defines us, refines us, disciplines us, and empowers us to live and grow productively. Growth is suffering because it is hard and uncomfortable work learning. Learning requires you to go where you’ve never gone, do what you’ve never done, and/or think what you’ve never thought before. Repetition is practice and strengthening, after learning. Sometimes that can cause suffering too. Ask any athlete, “No pain, no gain.” It is the pain of the caterpillar’s painful push through the small opening of the cocoon that forces the fluids in its body to the wings so it can fulfill its destiny and fly.

I wonder what seeds would say. “You’ve shoved me in this dark dirt, given me a little water, forced me to put down roots and push up through the heavy soil for a little sunlight? Once I get there, my work has only begun? I’ve got to do leaves, flowers, and make my own seeds? You pick the best fruit I have for yourself and require me to make more?”

Many of the wise tell us that anything gained without effort is valued little and easily lost. That which costs us becomes valuable and is maintained more carefully. Suffering creates value because of the cost.

The most admired people from all fields of interest are those who have overcome severe adversity to accomplish what they could only accomplish in the dire straits within which they found themselves. Our movies and books are filled with come from behind, underdog, stories because in real life or fiction, they inspire us. These are people who find their true gifting, strength, adaptability, and endurance in the challenge. War medals are given to the overcomer with the greatest medals to the greatest overcomers. Suffering requires people to excel and push beyond their known limitations into areas that surpass what they believe they could do. They had to conquer themselves in fighting and overcoming the adversity.

Jesus pressed in to His suffering to accomplish the rescue heaven desired. He understood the purpose of the hardship and did not get lost in blame, shame, avoidance, or shifting accountability. He chose the goal over the inconvenience, the vision over the discomfort, the hope over the pain. In doing so, He gave us an example. We can willingly, even joyfully, let heaven push our bloated bodies through the cocoon opening into the beauty created for us.