Is Suffering Required for Growth?

I attended a national conference last summer and one of the work shop speakers reported on some research [see the link below] indicating that suffering in one form or another was not required in order for a person to grow. I was somewhat perplexed by the conclusions of this research and have been pondering this issue for months and in one sense for years.

It is probably wise to define what is meant by the term ‘growth’. I am not, of course, referring to physical growth, but rather to growth in the ‘immaterial’ part of us, i.e. the mental, emotional, and spiritual components of our being. Are those ‘components’ somehow enhanced, ‘fertilized’ so to speak if/when we undergo suffering? I agree that suffering is not necessarily required to simply acquire information, i.e. growth in knowledge, though perhaps many students who ‘suffer’ through final exams or those writing a doctoral thesis would likely and even strongly disagree with me! But I think the more critical question relates to our character development-i.e. is suffering required to develop, or shape, or conform us into the character of Christ? Jesus said “a pupil is not above his teacher. But everyone after he has been fully trained will be like his teacher” [Luke 40:6].What does it mean to be ‘fully trained’? I propose that it consists of at least three primary components: [1]knowledge, [2]skills-i.e. the ability to use knowledge, and [3] character. If our goal is to be like Jesus [the ‘Teacher”], then we need to acquire a certain kind of knowledge -a knowledge of God, His ways, and character, the skills [i.e. wisdom] as to how to apply that ‘knowledge’ in our daily life, and a character like that of Jesus.

The writer of the New Testament letter to the Hebrews states that Jesus “learned obedience from the things which He suffered” [Heb 5:8]. The same writer also states that our parents “disciplined us for s short time as seemed best to them, but He [i.e. God] disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful, yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” [Heb 12:10-11]. The writer clearly connects our Heavenly Father’s discipline of us, His children, with our good, and at least one purpose is declared to be our growth in holiness. The writer also acknowledges that such discipline is a form of training, which may be sorrowful, but ultimately produces a peaceful form of righteousness within us.

Peter says suffering is part of our calling: “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps…and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously” [I Pet 2: 21,23]. The apostle James says that we should consider ‘trials’ or troubles as opportunities for joy and growth: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow . So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” [James 1:2-3 NLT]

So, is suffering, training, and/or discipline required for ‘growth’? Or is suffering simply a part of our ‘calling’ as a follower of Christ? Or just our ‘lot’ in life as a human being living in a fallen world? I suggest that the answer is ‘yes’ to all three of these questions. The acquisition of a casual form of knowledge may require relatively little serious effort or other ‘suffering’ but if a person is intent on developing their mind and body and some skill set-be it in sports, the arts, music or something else, intense training is inevitably required-something that many of us would likely consider to be, at some level, ‘suffering’. But knowledge and skills is not the same as character, though certain components of a person’s character [e.g. self discipline] are certainly involved in acquiring knowledge and skills at a deeper or more intense level. It appears to me that if we are intent on increasing our consistency of obedience to our Teacher, and growing in personal holiness as well as love, we cannot totally escape the crucible of suffering-after all, even our Lord ‘learned’ obedience from the things which He suffered. This is not to suggest that we should go about looking for opportunities to suffer, something a masochist might do, but it is to say that our Abba Father will likely bring ‘training opportunities‘ into our life to mold, shape, and cut away parts of our character that detracts from the image of His holiness, love, and graciousness.

Are you ‘learning obedience’ from the things which you may be suffering or enduring? Or are you becoming disillusioned, disheartened or even defiant towards your heavenly very-caring Father? The ‘divine craftsman’ is shaping your character, so that you will become ‘fully trained’ and become ‘like the Teacher‘. Will you cooperate with Him?

CJS

see: https://doi.apa.org/doi/10.1037/bul0000173