This is part 2 of a 3 part series on suffering stemming from an interview I did with author Hilda Muluh, author of “The Girl with Special Shoes: Miracles Don’t Always Look Like You’d Expect.” Hilda is almost completely disabled in a wheelchair due to muscular dystrophy.
“To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.” - Jonah 2:6-7 NIV
Imagine waking up one day with a bright future—dreams to fulfill, a family to provide for, a life to live. And then, slowly, without warning, all of it begins to fade. Until one day, your body, once vibrant, betrays you. Every hope you hold begins to crumble until, finally, you're left imprisoned in a shell of a body that no longer responds to your will.
This was Hilda Muluh’s story. In the darkness of her suffering, it felt as though her purpose had died along with her body. But it is precisely in these life passages when, in our greatest pain and despair, God finally finds us moldable and ready to be shaped for His ultimate purpose.
We usually think that if only my circumstances were different—if only I wasn’t dealing with illness, heartache, poverty, or loss—then I could truly live out my calling. But God’s purpose for you is not constrained by your pain. Rather, through your pain, He unveils His deepest purpose for you.
Hilda's journey teaches us that suffering is far from the end; it is where our deepest calling begins.
As a young girl, Hilda was the shining star of her family—the one expected to lift them from poverty. But starting at six years old, her body slowly began to shut down, and by her teens, all her potential seemed to be gone. Once filled with hope, the vibrant girl became confined to a bed, her dreams dissolved by the acid baths of bitterness and despair. "I felt like my life was over," Hilda recalled. At her lowest point, she longed for and began to plan her death, believing her life no longer had meaning or purpose.
It was then that God began to whisper something different to her. A friend handed her a book by Joni Eareckson Tada, another woman who had lost all bodily function but who had found her true calling through suffering. Slowly, the seeds of hope were planted in Hilda’s heart. "I went from wanting to end my life to wanting to see what God could do through me," she shared. And indeed, He did. Hilda became a journalist, a radio broadcaster, and an author—using her life and story to encourage countless others walking through their own valleys.
Hilda’s story is not an isolated one. God has always used suffering as the refining fire through which He molds His children for His purposes. In Scripture, Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, and imprisoned unjustly before he rose to save nations. Moses was a fugitive in the desert, far from the courts of Egypt, when God called him to lead His people. Job lost everything—his family, wealth, and health—yet he found God’s purpose in his suffering.
Each of these stories shows a pattern: suffering is not the destination. It is a doorway through which God invites us into a greater calling, one we could not imagine without walking through pain. Joseph, Moses, and Job were not ready for their calling until they had been crushed.
The same holds true for some great Christian figures of recent history. Corrie ten Boom, spent years in a Nazi death camp, losing her family and all she held dear, proclaimed that no suffering could separate us from the love of God. She became a beacon of hope, telling the world that no prison is too deep for God's reach. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian, resisted the Nazi regime and was executed for his faith. He understood that following Christ meant embracing suffering, even to the point of death. John Newton, once a slave trader, found redemption through his own deep brokenness. His suffering led him to become a fierce advocate against the very trade he once perpetuated.
These figures illustrate that God's path for your life often leads through the desert of suffering and trials.
These deserts aren't detours—they are the very place where your purpose and calling are forged.
God uses suffering to strip away the distractions and false purposes we cling to. It sharpens our focus on our need for Him and His ultimate calling. Like the lives of Joseph, Moses, Corrie ten Boom, and others, Hilda's life illustrates that the very things we believe disqualify us from fulfilling our purpose are the things God uses to draw others to Himself.
What we see as limitations, God sees as opportunity. The pain, loss, and trials you endure are not signs of defeat but rather stepping stones toward something greater—His divine calling on your life. Your suffering becomes a platform for His glory.
So, what might feel like the end of your story is, in God’s hands, just the beginning of His work through you.
The lives of those who have suffered—whether Hilda Morrow, Joseph, or John Newton—remind us that suffering isn’t a destination. It is a doorway to the purpose God has prepared for you. What feels like the end is often the entry point for God to begin His greatest work in your life.
So, when suffering comes, remember that suffering isn’t a destination; it’s a doorway to the purpose He has prepared for you.
Suffering is not the end of our lives but a tool God uses to refine and shape us for His higher purpose. When life feels most broken, God is working to draw you closer, reveal His strength through your weakness, and lead you toward a greater calling than you could have imagined. Your trials are not a destination—they are a doorway through which God pulls you towards life and divine purpose. Through surrender, faith, and trust in His plan, we discover that in losing ourselves, we find true life and purpose in Him.
Click here for Part 1: Embracing God's Presence in the Pain of Suffering
Click here for Part 1: Embracing God's Presence in the Pain of Suffering
Click here for Part 2: Finding Triumph through Life’s Toughest Trials
Click here for Part 3: The Powerful Purpose Behind Your Pain
Photo Credit: SWN Design
He has testified before the U.S. Congress on persecution and has been interviewed or quoted by most of the world’s top outlets, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the BBC.
He is a three-time author, and his podcast is Faith Under Fire, where he helps Christians deepen and defend their faith.
Jeff is available as a guest speaker.
To learn more, go to the Jeff King Blog.