I usually don't enjoy hardship and pain.  But, in the life of a Christian, God uses suffering for our betterment.  The apostle Paul testifies to this truth when he writes about his "thorn" in the flesh:

"Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:7b-12, NIV)

While Paul is able to "boast all the more gladly" about his difficulties, Every Man A Warrior's Ryuichi Tsubuku refers to his major financial collapse as a "gift."  How?  He explains this perspective on today's Footsteps.  May you find his story inspirational.

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(Photo of Every Man A Warrior's Ryuichi Tsubuku with Andy Napier)