Suffering
An unsaved young man saw how a family responded to their loved one suffering terminal cancer with such confidence, joy, and peace, his heart began to pay attention to the Source of that steadfastness. He began to read his Bible with greater earnestness and listen to the sermons he heard in church with greater interest. Eventually, the Lord saved him. I tell that story because it only further legitimizes the need for Christians to learn how to suffer well—how to suffer righteously . It is necessary to be equipped with a theology of suffering while not yet in the midst of a particular trial. The fact of the matter is, the heat of an intensely trying time often clouds our vision and our judgment, so that we fail to act the way we know we should. We respond to suffering sinfully because we have not prepared to suffer righteously beforehand, when our vision is clear. A Second Lesson To help prepare us to fight the unbiblical thoughts, attitudes, and actions that we are tempted to have