The life of a Christian is not easy.  Jesus himself told his disciples that "in the world you will have trouble."  But then he added, "take heart; I have overcome the world.”  What a glorious thought.  

In this world, we are bombarded by challenges ... temptations, jealousies, pain, suffering, loss.  We can be attacked for our beliefs, or attacked for no reason at all.  Challenges can manifest themselves at work or at home.  The world is a broken place, and as a result, challenges abound.  But God's grace abounds "much more".

In fact, pain and suffering are mechanisms for our own growth.  God often uses our most pressing challenges as ways to turn us back to Him.