God's kingdom does not consist of what a person eats or drinks. Rather, God's kingdom consists of God's approval and peace, as well as the joy that the Holy Spirit gives.

Romans 14:17 God's Word Translation

 

Being a Christian does not provide us with a protective bubble or an ironclad assurance that we will always be protected from no harm. God will not shield us from the pain, suffering, and harsh truths of life, just as He did not shield Jesus from the pain, suffering, and harsh realities of life. If you allow God to lead you, don't be surprised if He takes you through some dark valleys and difficult areas. If you are now in one of those situations, pay attention to what God is saying and doing. This is because, as much as we despise pain and suffering, we often grow the most through difficult and challenging times.

With God's help, we can experience the deepest joy even in the midst of adversity. Joy does not imply the absence of suffering. Rather, joy is the constant presence of God in your life. You can have this joy because God’s faithfulness is new every day. That means God has not changed His thoughts about you.

God is not the author of our suffering. He will not use suffering to parent us, nor will He use it to compel our submission. God, on the other hand, never wastes our suffering. He can redeem our trials and tribulations and create within us something far greater than our griefs and losses combined.

Unfortunately, we live in a culture that values instant gratification and quick fix, and our trust in God sometimes reflects this outlook rather than the ultimate reality in Christ. Faith becomes brittle when it lacks spiritual resilience and endurance. When that happens, we lose the mystery, beauty, and wonder of trusting God and having confidence in Him. As a result, our friendship with God is transactional rather than transformational. Then our relationship with God is defined by dysfunctional fear rather than joyful faith.

Remember that God has come among us in the person of Jesus, and His Kingdom is our midst. When we accept God's incredible invitation to enter His Kingdom, we experience an otherworldly quality of existence flowing with righteousness, peace, and pleasure. That means we are always blessed despite the mess, and our Father is still at work creating all things good for His glory despite the evil and suffering of life.