The Suffering That Produces Results

photo from Pinterest

This year, I set out to be consistent in something in a way I hadn’t before and well, I have thoughts.

Last year, I wanted to write more because since I started my writing journey, I hadn’t written as less as I did last year and yes, I’m aware I had other things to focus on at the time, but you know how they say when something is a priority, you make time for it? Yes, I needed writing to be a priority for me again.

So entering 2026, I made a commitment to post a short story on Substack every Saturday, the only excuses I could have were that I was sick and was probably on admission in the hospital or there was an emergency, not school or anything like that, but real life emergencies, and I put myself to work.

I’ve always being someone who believed in discipline, in the fact that consistency produces results, but there were certain areas of my life where it was harder to be disciplined than others. When it came to Bible Study, there was no shaking the consistency I devoted to it, even meal prepping, these things were like clockwork, but in other things, discipline was harder to follow through.

Recently, I was thinking back to that commitment I made to myself and how it pushed me to the brink of myself most days. I love writing, but coming up with a new story concept every week, is not something I have ever done before this year. If anything, I love writing novels, because I get to stay with these characters for however long I need to, develop them, grow with them and what have you, but to develop real characters every week especially since most are based on real life circumstances and most times, even my own life, it stretched me.

My girl, Christabel always says something; “You do it for the joy that is set before you.” We’re Bible children so I know that, but do I really know it? I was telling her last year that I’m someone who in certain aspects of life likes instant gratification and I knew I needed to change that if I wanted to see results. I needed to become familiar with the concept of delayed gratification and she made sure to remind me every time I wanted to take the instant route, it was weird having someone call me out like that, but I needed it.

As for Substack, I’ve seen more growth in the last 4 months than I have in the past year and half since I started on that app and I’m aware that its not about the numbers, but the impact and I can say with certainty that it’s been that these past months. It was a light bulb moment when I realized that this was it and I’ve gathered enough evidence now that I would be foolish if I think the instant route is ever going to produce results.

All this to say that even the word of God talks about this. I was reading this morning in Romans 5 where Paul was telling the Romans that we as Christians glory in our sufferings because suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character and character, hope and hope does not put us to shame.

If hope doesn’t put me to shame, it means that in the end, there will be a result or a reward, whichever way you want to see it, but the beginning of that journey is suffering and you have to persevere in that suffering. It sure sounds wild. Why would I voluntarily offer myself for suffering?

It’s no mistake though that long suffering is a fruit of the Spirit. There’s no way we would be able to go through with it; whatever that goal is without the Holy Spirit, it will be impossible.

To some suffering may seem like hard work, and to all, it would like stretching yourself more than you’ve ever had to, but what I’m learning is that there is no way that results can be seen without the proper input. Paul, in Romans, was talking about the Christian walk and the path of life that is necessary to live as a Christian, but as always, the Word applies to everything in our lives, not just the spiritual aspect.

And persevering in suffering looks like consistency. There was something my pastor said in church on Sunday, “You have to stay consistent until you see results.” Essentially, there is no timeline for consistency. Until the character is built and the hope that doesn’t put us to shame is established, we have to continue to persevere.

I’m writing this majorly as a reminder to myself because there are a lot of things I would like to see results in, but I know that it won’t be possible if I don’t give myself to the necessary hard work it takes to get there.

To crown it all, “‘Not by power, nor by might, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord.” It was never something that was meant to be accomplished in our own strength if not, God would have given us the blueprint and that would have been the end. We might have all the motivation, all the willpower, all the might, but in our own strength, it will still fail if it’s not done in conjunction with Him. Remember, it is all for the joy that is set before you.

Much love,

Uche 🤍