"The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." 1 Peter 5:10
Suffering comes to us all. It may be disease or debilitation, pain or persecution. Our difficulties may be invisible to others or impossible to hide. Sometimes we suffer because of our Christian witness. Other times it's simply part of living in a fallen world. But suffering affects us all, in ways we don't always anticipate.
Christians today are often not prepared to suffer well and have a shortsighted view of pain and trials. Ken Boa shows how God uses suffering to shape his children for eternity and to grow them in Christlike character. The book of 1 Peter tells us suffering is both a guarantee and comparatively brief; we shouldn't be surprised when it comes to us. The nature of our affliction is not as important as our response to it. God is at work through our hardships and wants to use them to prepare us for eternal life.
Suffering can make us bitter or better. Rediscover living hope, present joy, and a glorious future.

Kenneth Boa is the president of Reflections Ministries, Omnibus Media Ministries, and Trinity House Publishers. His many books include Conformed to His Image, Faith Has Its Reasons, Rewriting Your Broken Story, and Life in the Presence of God. He resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

Jenny Abel is an editor and a writer for Reflections Ministries and Omnibus Media Ministries. She coauthored A Guide to Practicing God's Presence with Kenneth Boa and edited Life in the Presence of God. She lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.