Romans 5:3-5
“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope.”
Paul traces a chain: tribulation produces patience, patience produces proven character, and that character produces hope. None of it happens by skipping the hard first step.
Let's not overcomplicate this: there's no shortcut to mature character. It's built, step by step, in exactly the places you'd rather not be.
What is God trying to shape in my character through the difficulty I'm living through today?
Instead of only asking for the current difficulty to end, ask God to show you what He's building in you through it.
Lord, I don't like tribulation, but I trust You're forming patience, character, and hope in me through it.
Recommended reading: James 1:2-4