All pain we experience is intended to move us closer to the goal of being holy as He is holy

All pain we experience is intended to move us closer to the goal of being holy as He is holy

Jerry Bridges, a well-known Christian author and speaker, often emphasized the importance of holiness in the life of a believer. He believed that all pain and suffering we experience is ultimately intended to move us closer to the goal of being holy as God is holy.

Bridges understood that pain and suffering are inevitable parts of life, but he also believed that God uses these experiences to refine and sanctify us. In his book "The Pursuit of Holiness," Bridges writes, "God is more concerned with our holiness than our happiness, and He will use whatever means necessary to conform us to the image of His Son."

When we experience pain, whether it be physical, emotional, or spiritual, it can be easy to question God's goodness and wonder why He would allow us to suffer. However, Bridges reminds us that God's ultimate goal for us is not comfort or ease, but holiness. He writes, "God's purpose for us is not to make us comfortable, but to make us holy."

Bridges believed that holiness is not something we can achieve on our own, but rather it is a work of God's grace in our lives. He writes, "Holiness is not a do-it-yourself project. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, conforming us to the image of Christ."