It’s been a rough few days. I recently found out I have shingles. If you had them, you feel my pain. If you haven’t… awesome. I love that for you. While I think I am finally on the mend from the actual virus, the lingering effects have become… disruptive. I am only able to sleep for a few hours a night, when I wake up, I am WIDE awake but completely exhausted. I have no energy, seriously low motivation, and a general lack of patience. In all of this, I think the people around me would say I am managing it well. To the unsuspecting eye, most would have no idea that anything is “off.” 

Situations like these always make me ask the question of why? Not so much, “why me?” but more like, “Why is this a thing?” Seriously, why do shingles exist? I am sure there is some scientific reason, but I don’t really care as that’s not why I am asking. In a much more surface level way, I am asking why is suffering a part of this world. This is a big question that I can’t hope to answer here but maybe I can answer the question I believe God is asking me in response. Instead of asking “Why do we suffer,” what if we instead asked ourselves, “What will we do with our suffering?” 

This question rang out loud and clear as I was reading 2 Corinthians 4 yesterday. In this passage, the Apostle Paul is speaking about the treasure of the Gospel that we as believers carry. This is a highly valued treasure that brings light into the world. The issue is that we are jars of clay. This great treasure is held in something fragile, sometimes easily broken, even brittle. Sometimes we fall and our lives seem like shattered and broken pieces. We glue them back together as best we can but even still, there are cracks and chips. We often feel unworthy of such a treasure. 

But Paul goes on to say that our “light and momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17 ESV). So, let me ask again, what will I do with my suffering? Use it to prepare. Don’t waste your suffering. It’s not for nothing. God is not wasteful. He will use your pain and suffering to help someone else through theirs. He will use your life and your experiences to point others to him. It is the crack in the jar that allows the light to get out. Our suffering isn’t pointless, it isn’t meaningless, and it isn’t for nothing. 

So, what can I learn from having shingles? I can learn patience in the pain. I can learn endurance through a hard time. I can be reminded that I have experienced much greater physical pain in my life and have renewed gratitude that God got me through that. I can lean on the fact that he has gotten me through much harder times than this and trust him to be true to his character. Don’t waste your suffering. Ask God, “What are you teaching me through this?” and “How can I use this pain to shine a little more light into the darkness.