peter-and-john-at-the-beautiful-gate

Benefits of suffering: 1. Divine retribution. 2. Divine discipline (Pr. 3:11; Heb. 12:5-11). 3. Testing, proving (Gen. 22:1; Dt. 8:2, 16, Jas. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:7). 4. Vicarious suffering (Num. 11:1-15; Hos. 1-3, Isa. 52:13-53:12). 5. Educational (Heb. 5:8). 6. Revelation (Jn. 9:2-3). 7. Repentance, seek God (Hos. 5:15; Isa. 19:22; 2 Cor. 7:9-10). 8. Self-denial (Lk. 22:42; 2 Cor. 1:8-9; 2 Cor. 12:7; Rom. 5:3-4; Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 4:10-11; Heb. 12:10; Jas. 1:2). 9. Solidarity - In suffering we band and bond together (Rom. 12:15; 1 Cor. 12:26). 10. Ministry of comfort (2 Cor. 1:3-4; Heb. 4:15). 11. Glorification (Rom. 8:17; 2 Cor. 4:17).

James Fowler

Forbearance doesn't mean we tuck sin away for another time. It is not a variation of patience nor is it some Christianized, external “niceness” where you pretend nothing bothers you. It's not even a kind of ignoring the sin, in the sense of refusing to acknowledge it. In forbearance we know (or at least suspect) we have been sinned against, but we actually make a choice to overlook the offense and wipe the slate clean, extending a heart attitude of forgiveness, and treating the (apparent) sin as if it never happened. Proverbs 19:11 tells us it is a “glory to overlook an offense.” Forbearance is preemptive forgiveness, freely and genuinely bestowed.

Dave Harvey