Why does God allow me to suffer?

A couple of months ago my wife and I had the privilege of going on an Alaskan Cruise with John MacArthur and Grace to You! Wow, was that every a gracious gift from God! During that cruise we had the privilege of hearing John do an exposition of James 1. During one message on suffering and adversity, he listed more than a dozen Scriptural reasons for why God allows trials in the life of a child of God. Trying to write them down as fast as I could and now having time to reflect on them, they have given me a deeper confidence in a sovereign, loving, and wise God. Here they are for the strengthening of your faith!

1. Suffering teaches endurance which gives you a perfect faith
2. Suffering allows the life of Christ to be manifested in our mortal flesh (2 Corinthians 4:11)
3. Suffering teaches us humility (2 Corinthians 12:7)
4. Suffering teaches us that God is more concerned about character than our comfort (Romans 5:3,4; Hebrews 12:10)
5. Suffering teaches us the greatest good is not the absence of pain but being like Christ (2 Corinthians 4:11)
6. Suffering is necessary for the chastening of sin (James 3:17,18)
7. Suffering produces self-control (Psalm 119:67)
8. Suffering is just part of the struggle for the kingdom of God (2 Thessalonians) for the gospel (2 Timothy 3:17)
   
9. Suffering is the cause of eternal reward (2 Corinthians 4:17,18)
10. Suffering binds us together in a common life as believers (Revelation 1:9)
11. Suffering produces a broken/contrite heart (Psalm 51)
12. Suffering increases our anticipation of heavenly glory
13. Suffering weans us from the world
14. Suffering reveals what we really love (Deuteronomy 13:3; Luke 9:23)
    
15. Suffering teaches us to value the flavor of God (Psalm 63:3)
16. Suffering enables us to help others in their trials (2 Corinthians 1)
17. Suffering may be showing us the possibility of the boomerang or sowing/reaping principle (Matthew 7:3-5; Proverbs 15:15; 13:10; 11:2; 22:10-11) Perhaps God is trying to get us to examine ourselves to see what he may be doing that either encourages or exacerbate our interpersonal relationships.

Oh, how we need to lean on the sovereign purposes of God so that the James 1 goal of a perfect, mature, complete faith is the result of suffering!