The Purpose of Struggle "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin." — Hebrews 4:15 (NIV) No one wants to go through struggle and suffering, but there are things that we can only learn through pain and hardship. There are lessons and qualities that one can only develop through seasons of trials and tribulation. One of the things that I have seen struggle impart in my life is kindness. You come to understand and empathize with the suffering of others. This is what makes you effective when you help other people. Jesus had to become sin in order to take it away. It is not easy to help a person with something that you have not experienced. You may try to understand, but you will never truly grasp the depth of their pain. Lastly, when you have been through a difficult situation and overcome it, that by itself makes you an authority on the subject. It makes you reliable and gives your words resonance with the depth of the situation. That by itself can be a source of strength and encouragement to someone else.