Hope in Suffering
Read: Romans 5:1-11 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings. (v. 3) I lost my father last year after he suffered a stroke and a subsequent brain bleed.
Ariana D. Den Bleyker June 24, 2026
Are you struggling to understand why God would allow suffering in your life?
Suffering touches every person at some point—through loss, illness, mental anguish, broken relationships, or overwhelming pressure. It’s natural to ask, “Why me?” or “Where is God in this?” This devotional reading plan offers an invitation to ask a different question: “What is God doing in me through this?”
Drawing from the honesty of the Bible and the author’s own painful experiences, these devotions explore how suffering can become a place of deep spiritual transformation. You’ll encounter biblical voices like Job, Paul, Hannah, and Jesus, and see how hardship shaped their faith, deepened their trust, and revealed God’s goodness in surprising ways. Each reading offers encouragement to lean into—not run from—the refining work of God.
You’ll be reminded that suffering isn’t wasted. In God’s hands, it can lead to perseverance, maturity, comfort, and even joy. Not because the pain disappears, but because Christ is present in it. And through your pain, you may find a fellowship with him that is more intimate and powerful than you imagined.
This series doesn’t minimize suffering. It honors it. And it helps you discover that while God may not always remove the fire, he always walks with you through it—and brings beauty from the ashes.
Come, pour out your soul. Let God meet you in your weakness, and lead you toward hope, healing, and purpose.
Read: Romans 5:1-11 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings. (v. 3) I lost my father last year after he suffered a stroke and a subsequent brain bleed.
Read: Philippians 4:5-9 Do not be anxious about anything. (v. 6) I was seven years old when I experienced my first panic attack. Due to trauma, I had a fear
Read: 1 Peter 5:6-11 After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm,
Read: Matthew 7:24-27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on
Read: Hebrews 12:3-17 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Read: 1 Samuel 1:9-20 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD. (v. 10) Often during times of suffering, I act on my eating disorder; I restrict food in
Ariana D. Den Bleyker is a Pittsburgh native currently residing in New York’s Hudson Valley. She is the author of two devotional poetry collections,To Be Held by the Lightand Waking in the Light. She is an ordained deacon in the Reformed Church of America.