Reframing the Hard Stuff
What if your suffering is actually a doorway?

Paul Durbin • Lead Pastor
June 12, 2026

2 Minute Read

When Paul wrote, "I rejoice in what I am suffering for you," he wasn't chained to a desk—he was chained to a guard. And yet his first words weren't, "Get me out of here." They were words of joy.

That's not normal. That's mature.

In this life, we will have times of suffering. We don't really get to vote on that. What we do get to choose is whether we walk through it bitter or joyful. Bitter suffering complains, blames, and sets up camp in a bad mood. Joyful suffering says, "Jesus walked through hard things too. Maybe this is where I get to know Him a little better."

That's not denial. That's not pretending the pain isn't real. Paul still prayed three times for his thorn to be removed. Jesus Himself asked if the cup could pass. We can do both—pray hard for breakthrough and receive the moment as holy ground at the same time.

So if you're in a hard season right now, try this. Don't just ask, "God, get me out." Ask, "God, what do You want me to see about You while I'm in here?" That one shift can turn a prison cell into a classroom.

Jesus isn't watching from the finish line. He's right there in the cell with you. And what He's growing in you might be exactly what someone else needs to see.

166 | How Can I Grow Toward Greater Christ-Like Maturity?

Pastor Paul Durbin explores what it means to pursue real spiritual maturity as a follower of Jesus, drawing from Colossians 1:24–2:7 and his own journey learning Mandarin in China. He challenges Belay’ers to move beyond surface-level faith by embracing four practical practices: joyful suffering, willing service, strenuous contending, and holding on to our hope in Jesus. With stories, honest wrestling, and encouragement, the message asks: how do we actually become mature—“telios”—in Christ? Pastor Paul shows it’s less about logging hours and more about deliberate, focused growth with Jesus at the center.

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