Sometimes when we are in the midst of a trial, we pray for God to show what we need to do to make it stop. What will bring the struggle to an end? But sometimes, God’s answer is, “nothing.” There is nothing we can do to end the trial; we will have to continue enduring it. Why is that?

Consider Judges 3:1–2 where it talks about the nations the Lord left in order to test all those in Israel who had experienced none of the wars in Canaan. This was to teach the future generations of the Israelites how to fight in battle, especially those who had not fought before.

Could it be that God allows us to sit in our trials and suffering at times because He is preparing us for something else? The best person to minister to the wounded is someone who has been wounded. So, when you experience intense pain, fear of the future, anxiety, sleepless nights, or other trials, ask God to help you remember what you’re going through. Don’t pray that it is put behind you; pray that it is remembered by you. Ask God to write it on your mind and your heart so that you will be ready to speak truth and empathy into another life when you find yourself safely on the other side, or even before.

Who has helped you through a struggle because they could relate with you? How can you help someone because of what you have faced, or are facing?