Suffering is one of life’s greatest mysteries, but also one of its greatest opportunities.

On The Patrick Madrid Show, a caller named Stuart asked a question many people quietly wonder: Is there a real connection between suffering and holiness?

“I’d say absolutely,” Patrick explained, pointing to St. Paul’s words that “we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Paul's message reveals a spiritual reality: When united to Christ, suffering transforms us. It strengthens virtue, deepens trust, and opens the heart to God’s grace.

Stuart continued, wondering if voluntarily offering his sufferings for his family could actually help them. Patrick affirmed that it could. Drawing from St. Paul again, he highlighted a powerful truth: “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake.”

In other words, suffering, when offered in love, can benefit others. It becomes intercessory. Redemptive. Participatory in Christ’s own sacrifice.

Of course, the spiritual life isn’t always full of clarity or consolation. Stuart admitted he felt stuck, like his prayer life had plateaued. Patrick gently reframed that experience of stagnation as growth.

Rather than a “dark night of the soul,” he suggested it might be a transition into deeper spiritual maturity. He pointed to St. Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle, which describes how God leads the soul through stages, some of which feel dry, quiet, or even uneventful.

This phase is often difficult but is just as often a sign that a deeper transformation is taking place.

In a world that avoids suffering at all costs, this conversation offers a radical reminder: Do not waste your suffering. When united to Christ, carrying your cross can shape your soul and even help lead others closer to heaven.

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