New York Times op-ed columnist David Brooks penned an insightful piece about the "fearful gift" of suffering/ He talks about the irony of our culture's obsession with happiness, yet our growth comes through difficulty.

In a stand-out quote, Brooks says: "When people remember the past, they don't only talk about happiness. It is often the ordeals that seem most significant. People shoot for happiness but feel formed through suffering."

Possible Preaching Angle:

What a clear statement of one of Christianity's central tenets—that suffering, while not to be sought, is a potent catalyst for growth and even spiritual renewal. Remember that even Jesus "learned obedience through what he suffered." (Heb. 5:8)