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  SUFFERING
  by W.R. Inge
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Summary: Suffering is a blessing when done by God's will, and it makes
us grow in virtue and become more like Christ.

Topics: "Suffering", "Redemption"
Scripture References: Matthew 5:10, Romans 8:18, 2 Corinthians 4:17, 1 Peter 4:13

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DESCRIPTION
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W.R. Inge emphasizes that men who love God do not complain about their
sufferings; instead, they see their suffering as small compared to God's
will for them. Their blessedness lies in suffering according to God's
will. Inge highlights that when a man bears suffering for God's sake,
God transforms it into something light and sweet, bringing love and
comfort. He explains that true suffering is noble and a mother of all
virtues, suggesting that if there was anything more noble than
suffering, God would have used it for mankind's redemption.

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CONTENT
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MEN who love God are so far from complaining of their sufferings, that
their complaint and their suffering is rather because the suffering
which God's will has assigned them is so small. All their blessedness is
to suffer by God's will, and not to have suffered something, for this is
the loss of suffering. This is why I said, Blessed are they who are
willing to suffer for righteousness, not, Blessed are they who have
suffered. (434)

All that a man bears for God's sake, God makes light and sweet for him.
(45)

If all was right with you, your sufferings would no longer be suffering,
but love and comfort. (442)

If God could have given to men anything more noble than suffering, He
would have redeemed mankind with it: otherwise, you must say that my
Father was my enemy, if he knew of anything nobler than suffering. (338)

True suffering is a mother of all the virtues. (338)

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/wr-inge/suffering/
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