Jeremiah Chapter 14. What good can come from suffering!
In this chapter God declares disaster for his people because of their wickedness. A drought comes and the people and animals are suffering big time without water.
The people cry out to God but God has been so far from them because of their disobedient hearts and lives. So the Lord does not respond.
But the people continue to cry out to the Lord confessing their sins and declaring his Lordship.
God is not quick to save them. Why? Without suffering one cannot appreciate the value of being faithful to the Lord. If I want to live my life for me, getting my own way, then eventually I'll face God's punishment. God's punishment results into discomfort and suffering. But because I'm so used to enjoying my life I immediately cry to God to remove this discomfort and suffering. If God responded so quickly every time we would never learn the value of being faithful to God because we could quickly go back to our selfish ways. God knows how long to allow us to suffer and face discomfort. We learn true faithfulness to God when we face suffering. Suffering teaches us to depend upon God and not our own selfish desires.
I Peter 5:10 reminds us of the value of suffering for a little while because it's then that we experience true restoration!
I Peter 5:10 “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”