The Reading Plan is designed to guide you through daily scriptures and reflections, helping you deepen your understanding and strengthen your faith. Simply follow the daily readings provided, meditate on the scripture, and reflect on how it applies to your life. You can revisit previous days or jump ahead to future readings at your own pace. Stay consistent, and watch your spiritual growth unfold as you engage with the Word daily.
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- The Purpose in Discomfort
5Day Reading Plan
The Purpose in Discomfort
- Faith
Creflo Dollar
God does everything out of love for us, for our benefit. This includes putting us in uncomfortable situations. It is a mistake to think that because we have been born again, we will never encounter any tribulation, suffering, or adversity; just like the Spirit of God led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, we can expect Him to lead us through our own trials to make us more like Him. Despite our weaknesses, relying on His strength gives us not only purpose and direction, but also the ability to endure what others cannot.
How to Use the Reading Plan:
About the Author:
Pastor Creflo Dollar is an American televangelist, author, and the founder and senior pastor of World Changers Church International (WCCI), based in College Park, Georgia.
Day 1Find Your Purpose in the Midst of Discomfort
Discomfort is often God’s tool for transformation. As believers, we must recognize that trials aren’t punishments, but purposeful moments allowed by a loving God who desires to mold us into the image of Christ. While we often long for peace and ease, God uses adversity to produce growth, endurance, and deeper faith.
When facing discomfort, we’re not alone; God walks with us through it. He reassured the prophet Isaiah, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.” During His earthly ministry, Jesus experienced pain and temptation; He now sympathizes with our weaknesses. Even in our weakest moments, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us.
Suffering creates space for God’s strength to shine through our weakness. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that when he was weak, that’s when he was strong. When we feel broken, God promises restoration and strength. Our present troubles, though difficult, are temporary; they produce an eternal glory.
God also uses discomfort to draw us closer to Him and teach us endurance. It’s painful to us at the time, but staying the course pleases God; He blesses the one who perseveres under trial. Embracing the pain helps us grow in character, experience, and hope through our trials. Even in mourning or persecution, Jesus says we’re blessed, and reward awaits.
As we lean on God in our discomfort, we discover purpose in our pain. Joy isn’t the absence of suffering, but the presence of God and the knowledge that He’s working all things for good for those who love Him. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. With God’s involvement, our discomfort becomes the doorway to transformation.
Scriptures:
Isaiah 43:2, NKJV
Romans 8:26, 28, 29
Hebrews 4:15
2 Corinthians 12:10
1 Peter 5:10, NIV
2 Corinthians 4:17
James 1:12, NLT
Romans 5:3, 4
Matthew 5:4, 10, 11
Psalm 30:5
For more about purpose in discomfort, check out Creflo Dollar’s 5-message series, Finding Your Purpose in Discomfort, or the 4-message, Victory in the Midst of Discomfort series.
Day 2Pushing Through the Pain
Discomfort isn’t a sign that God has abandoned us. It’s often evidence that He’s working in us. Instead of avoiding pain, Scripture teaches us to embrace it as a tool God uses to mold our hearts and refine our faith. As followers of Christ, we can trust that even our hardships serve a greater purpose.
As Paul reminded the Corinthians, God is not only our merciful Father but also the source of all comfort. The more we suffer for Christ, the more God showers us with comfort through Christ. These experiences aren’t wasted; they equip us to comfort others and reflect Christ more clearly. As believers, we’re being transformed into His image from glory to glory.
Discomfort is only temporary, but it builds endurance. After our brief suffering, God will personally restore us and make us stronger than ever. Trials test and mature our faith, producing perseverance, character, and hope; though painful, they’re essential to becoming whole in Christ. Even in times of trouble we can have joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures develop patient endurance in us.
God blesses those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. He’s faithful and won’t abandon us in tough times. When we go through deep waters, He’s with us; when we go through rivers of difficulty, we won’t drown; and when we walk through the fire of oppression, we won’t be burned up.
Despite being God, Jesus was also fully human and therefore understands humanity. Just like us, He’s fully acquainted with suffering. He was tempted in every way just as we are, but conquered sin.
Our pain has purpose. We’re being refined, restored, and readied. Leaning into the process lets God produce eternal glory in us.
Scriptures:
2 Corinthians 1:3-5, NLT
2 Corinthians 3:18
1 Peter 5:10, TPT
Romans 5:3, TPT
Matthew 5:10
Isaiah 43:2, NLT
Matthew 26:37, 38
Hebrews 4:15, TPT
For more about purpose in discomfort, check out Creflo Dollar’s 5-message series, Finding Your Purpose in Discomfort, or the 4-message, Victory in the Midst of Discomfort series.
Day 3 Discovering Joy Through Trials
No one likes pain and tribulations, but God works His purpose though it. Discomfort isn’t just something to endure, but something He uses to shape us. Our trials aren’t wasted in God’s hands; they’re purposeful tools to refine our faith and deepen our dependence on Him. While it’s natural to desire comfort, God invites us to rejoice even in hardship, knowing it’s producing something greater in us.
We can count it all joy when we fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces patience. Letting patience have its perfect work makes us perfect and complete. God doesn’t promise a life free from trouble, but He does promise to use every difficulty for our growth and His glory.
Adversity is to be expected. As Paul reminds us, “all things work together for good to those who love God…who are the called according to His purpose.” This doesn’t mean all things feel good, but that God brings good through them. Our present troubles are small and won’t last very long, yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever.
Our faith, tested by fire, is more precious than gold. Jesus tells us that although we’ll have trouble in this world, we can take heart, because He has overcome the world. Even when we can’t see the outcome, we can trust the one who walks with us.
Our trials are momentary. Afterward they yield the peaceful fruit of righteousness. With God, even weeping has a time limit; He reassures us that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
In suffering, we aren’t forsaken but transformed. Joy isn’t the absence of discomfort, but the awareness of God’s presence in it. We’ll never go through life alone.
Scriptures:
James 1:2-4, NKJV
Romans 8:28, NKJV
2 Corinthians 4:17, NLT
1 Peter 1:7
John 16:33, NIV
Hebrews 12:11
Psalm 30:5
For more about purpose in discomfort, check out Creflo Dollar’s 5-message series, Finding Your Purpose in Discomfort, or the 4-message, Victory in the Midst of Discomfort series.
Day 4Learning to Live in Our Discomfort
Discomfort can feel like a setback, but Christians live by faith, not by feelings. Hardship is often a divine setup for spiritual growth. As believers, we must shift our perspective from what we’ve become accustomed to; pain and trials aren’t random or meaningless, or even something to avoid. God uses them to shape us, reveal hidden pride, and build enduring faith.
We’re advised not to think it strange concerning the fiery trial that tries us, as though some strange thing was happening to us. Trials aren’t evidence of God’s absence, but confirmation of His refining work. It has been granted to us, on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him.
Suffering isn’t punishment, but participation in Christ’s journey. We may not understand why it’s happening, but we are assured of God’s presence through it. If we’re suffering in a manner that pleases God, we’re urged keep doing what is right and trust our lives to the God who created us, because He’ll never fail us.
Sometimes discomfort is God’s way of confronting our pride or misdirection; He warns us that pride goes before destruction. When we’re going down the wrong path in life, He cautions us that there’s a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. God won’t abandon us.
Even in weakness and failure, we can find strength. Paul declared, “If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.” God is glorified when we acknowledge our struggles and rely fully on Him.
In the fire, God refines us—not to destroy us, but to prepare us. He works through every trial to bring about His good purpose in us. This is something we can fully trust.
Scriptures:
2 Corinthians 5:7
1 Peter 4:12
Philippians 1:29, NIV
1 Peter 4:19, NLT
Proverbs 16:18, 25
2 Corinthians 11:30, NKJV
For more about purpose in discomfort, check out Creflo Dollar’s 5-message series, Finding Your Purpose in Discomfort, or the 4-message, Victory in the Midst of Discomfort series.
Day 5Finding God’s Purpose in Discomfort
Discomfort isn’t a sign of God’s absence—it’s often the very place where His purpose is revealed. Throughout Scripture, we see that He uses trials to shape, strengthen, and draw His people closer to Him. When life feels uncertain or painful, we can trust that God is still working.
God doesn’t waste our pain. There’s a reason for everything; all things work together for good to those who love God. Even when we don’t understand the “why,” we can trust the “who.” Discomfort becomes a tool in God’s hands to refine our character and deepen our dependence on Him.
The apostle Paul, who endured great suffering, declared that when he was weak, then he was strong. In our weakness, God’s strength is made perfect. Adversity teaches us to rely on His grace rather than on our own strength.
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation; this is much-needed encouragement for us. Endurance through discomfort produces spiritual maturity and lasting faith. Suffering produces perseverance, character, and hope.
Jesus Himself was “a man of sorrows,” and He understands our pain. He sympathizes with our weaknesses and knows what we’re going through. He walks with us through every valley and promises us that when we pass through the waters, He’ll be with us.
Discomfort isn’t the end of the story. After we’ve suffered a little while, God will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. When we embrace discomfort with faith, we discover that God is not only present, but also purposeful.
Scriptures:
Romans 8:28
2 Corinthians 12:10
James 1:12
Romans 5:3, 4
Hebrews 4:15
Isaiah 43:2
1 Peter 5:10
Psalm 30:5
For more about purpose in discomfort, check out Creflo Dollar’s 5-message series, Finding Your Purpose in Discomfort, or the 4-message, Victory in the Midst of Discomfort series.
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