Imagine a pastor, freshly let go, sitting in church six weeks later, quietly uttering a prayer that seems counterintuitive: "Thank you, Lord, for this season."

This episode of As in Heaven tackles one of the hardest subjects - suffering, but not just any suffering - transformational suffering. It explores how enduring hardship with Christ reshapes us, turning what seems like unbearable pain into a refining process that draws us closer to God.

Bryan Elliott and Matt Davis discuss how suffering, whether personal, spiritual, or communal, becomes an accelerant to growth, deepening faith, and cultivating resilience.

Key Takeaways:

1. Suffering with Christ transforms: Rather than becoming victims, we are refined and drawn closer to Jesus, experiencing profound inner change.
2. Mindset matters: Approaching suffering as a refining process rather than punishment changes everything.
3. Biblical suffering is a calling: As believers, we are called to suffer like Christ, understanding that glory and growth follow hardship.
4. Adversity builds strength: Personal trials, whether through ministry, family, or personal faith, serve as pathways to a deeper, richer relationship with God.
5. God’s presence in suffering: Even in the wilderness, God encircles and cares for us, teaching that pain is not wasted but redemptive.

Pull Quotes:

1. "This suffering is not happening to you; it’s happening for you when you walk with Jesus."
2. "Suffering, that once seemed like suffering, gives way to a better way of living because God refines you."
3. "Pain is an indicator, a wake-up call. But most of the time, we try to bypass it rather than face it."

Chapter Markers:

1. [00:00] - Introduction: Transformational Suffering Matt Davis opens the conversation on how suffering with Christ is different from suffering alone and introduces the key theme of the episode.
2. [03:14] - The Call to Suffer with Christ Discussing biblical foundations, especially 1 Peter 2:21, the hosts reflect on how Christians are called to follow in Christ's suffering.
3. [10:26] - Wrestling with the Purpose of Pain Personal stories illustrate how viewing suffering as part of God’s plan reshapes how we endure hardship.
4. [19:57] - Embracing the Ambush of God A deep dive into the importance of surrendering to God's plans, even when it feels like He’s "ambushing" your life.
5. [31:44] - Seasons of Wilderness Exploring how wilderness seasons shape believers, drawing from biblical examples of Israel’s wandering and Jesus' suffering.
6. [50:44] - Moving From Self-Focus to Self-Abandonment How abandoning self-interest and embracing sacrificial love transforms suffering into a form of worship.
7. [1:14:37] - The Invitation to Co-Suffer with Christ Discussing the profound spiritual principle that we are co-glorified with Christ when we accept His sufferings as our own.
8. [1:31:10] - The Eternal Perspective of Suffering The hosts conclude with reflections on how this brief earthly suffering pales in comparison to the eternal glory awaiting believers in Christ.