Article by By *John Piper. © Desiring God Foundation. Source: desiringGod.org

Before the storms of suffering blow against a person’s soul, we should try to put five foundation stones under their faith.

1. God is sovereign, wise, just, and merciful. He governs all things, making no mistakes, doing no one wrong, and making all things serve the everlasting joy of those who trust him.

2. Suffering and hardships are divinely appointed for all Christians.

3. These sufferings and hardships include both persecutions, because of Christ, and afflictions that come in the normal course of this fallen world.

4. Though we cannot know all of the thousands of purposes God has in our afflictions, he has revealed at least five purposes for all Christian affliction which he intends for us to know before the affliction comes.

5. Joyfully trusting Christ in our affliction glorifies His (God’s!) greatness, wisdom, justice, and mercy.

This is an excerpt of the original article. Read the full article on the Desiring God website

* John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For more than thirty years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis. He is author of more than fifty books, and his sermons, articles, books, and more are available free of charge at desiringGod.org