Suffering Is Never for Nothing
by
Elisabeth Elliot
Elisabeth Elliot knows suffering. Her first husband was killed in the jungle by savages. Then her second husband died of cancer. In later years, she suffered from terrible dementia. She couldn’t even speak, but her eyes still sparkled with the love of Christ. She had peace because she knew that all she had been through was not for nothing.
It's through the deepest suffering that God has taught me the deepest lessons. #ElisabethElliot #SufferingIsNotForNothing #TheHeartoftheAuthor #podcast Click To Tweet
This short book, published four years after Elliot’s death in 2015, was adapted from a series of talks she had once given at a conference. And what a treasure trove of wisdom she has left for us. This is not a book of answers, but of hope, as she leads us through the roadmap from suffering to glory:
- The Terrible Truth – We live in a fallen world and there is suffering.
- The Message – God is God. He loves us, and He is in control.
- Acceptance – Knowing and trusting God’s Message helps us accept the Terrible Truth.
- Gratitude – Thank God no matter what you’re going through. Gratitude honors God and prepares the way for God to show us His salvation.
- Offering – Whatever God gives us is a gift to offer back to Him.
- Transfiguration – The exchange of suffering for glory.
Elisabeth Elliot’s life is an example for us. She gave God the offering of her suffering, and He exchanged it and used it to bless the world.
Listen to the podcast to hear much more, and then go read the book. It’s not just for those who have been through profound suffering, but for everyone. Elliot defines suffering as “either having what you don’t want or wanting what you don’t have.” And we all go through moments like these on a daily basis. Even the most trivial frustrations like getting stuck in traffic are never for nothing. God will turn it ALL to glory when we accept it with gratitude and offer it back to Him.
Check out this episode
Listen on iTunes
Browse the archives
