As we have seen, God doesn’t waste our suffering. For one thing, He uses it to draw us to Himself. In addition, it’s a tool for eliminating hindrances to our holiness, helping us grow in faith, and making us increasingly Christlike.

Let’s look at a few other ways our trials become triumphs when we trust the Lord. Through hardships, we can ...

Share in the holiness of Christ. Hebrews 12:10 explains that when God disciplines us, He does so to bring us to the point where Jesus’ holiness is expressed—instead of suppressed—in our life.

Learn to give thanks in all situations. We’ve all faced circumstances when it was hard to name something for which we felt grateful. But 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to give thanks “in everything,” with no mention of feelings. Through experience, we learn to be thankful even for suffering because we know that the end result will be good.

Develop steadfastness. Romans 5:1-5 says tribulation leads to perseverance, and perseverance in turn develops character, which gives us hope. When we choose not to give up during difficult circumstances, we allow God to build up good qualities in our life that will keep us going in the long term.

Participate in the sufferings of Christ. Nothing was more valuable to Paul than knowing Christ (Phil. 3:8-11). But how can you truly know someone unless you can somehow relate to his life and experiences?

God at times allows us to suffer so we can humbly recognize how much we need Him. When we trust His will, He uses those trials in amazing ways.