Suffering + Joy = Win.

So we all have bad days. I don't know one person who hasn't had at least one insanely crappy day in their life. It could be a bad test grade. Your favorite cereal might not have been in the pantry that morning. You might stub your toe. You might have a fight with you siblings or family or friend. You might not have gotten enough sleep. You might be having a bad hair day.

...it's all called SUFFERING. People can suffer in small ways or big ways and suffering isn't fun.

I've seen a lot of my friends suffer and it's so hard for me to watch them go through such difficult trials.

Shout out to all those people who are suffering...here is my verse for you....

More than that we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
((Romans 5:3-5)

I know it seems crazy. Rejoice in sufferings?? How do you do that and WHY would you even want to do that??

When we suffer, I feel like a lot of people just feel so stressed overwhelmed with hardship and sometimes it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel and there is no way that anything can possibly get better.

But guys. God is so amazing. Like FORREALS. And HE suffered SO much for us when He died for our sins so that we can share in His eternal life in Heaven. The least we can do is offer our sufferings up to Him.
That's where the rejoicing comes in.
Offer up your sufferings to Christ with joy. Whenever it feels like you can't go on any longer because you are so burdened down with hardships, close your eyes, smile, and just give it all to God. He will take care of you.

Offer your suffering because in that joyful sacrifice, you will produce to endurance, character, and hope...which will never ever disappoint or fail you.

I just saw a movie that told the story of a young boy named, Jose Sanchez del Rio. This young boy lived during the time of the Mexican Revolution when the Catholic Church was brutally persecuted. At 15 years old, Jose went through various tortures and eventually was martyred for holding fast to his Catholic faith. The physical suffering that this young boy went through was horrific. Yet, in the midst of his pain, he rejoiced in that suffering which really did produce endurance, character, and hope. It was truly inspiring.

(Jose Shanchez del Rio) 

No matter the suffering, struggle, trial, or hardship....we must always offer it up to God...give it all to Him...and do it with an overflowing joy in our hearts. 

Always.