Sometimes pain comes at us in life like a tornado. It seams impossible to escape and it’s relentless, haunting us day and night. It might be physical pain or pain in our hearts. It can be pain in any number of life conditions. In these times we are tempted to question God. Why does he let bad things happen to good people? Right? Because of sin in the world bad things happen. To everyone. God didn’t desire that for us. He still doesn’t. He does allow it though. For his followers though, the pain is not wasted. The book of James in the Bible tells us that trials produce all kinds of good attributes. Patients, perseverance, maturity and that’s just a few. The truth is, without pain we would never grow to be the people God desires us to be. Job learned this. He was a righteous man. He lost all of his children, his servants and livestock, basically everything but his wife. He then was covered from head to toe with boils!! His wife told him to curse God and die. He didn’t though. His friends accused him of having some sin that caused God to turn on him. Nope! Through all this he trusted God. In Job 13:15 Job says: Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. I will surely defend my ways to his face!
He believed that even if God let him die in the misery he was in, he would still see him one day! That’s how to do pain right there!! The three Hebrew boys that faced being thrown into the fire, and by the way they were, said: Our God has the power to save us, but even if he doesn’t we will not bow to any other gods! The apostle Paul suffered greatly and considered it a privilege. So how do we get to this place. A place where we can face the worst that life has to offer with grace and hope? Jesus gave us this hope. It’s the same hope that these men had. The hope that if we really believe Jesus died and was resurrected, that he will resurrect us too! It’s all in the Bible. His word to us. Listen, we need to study it. If we know it better than we do our favorite songs, then when the pain comes we will be able to face it without fear! God doesn’t do fear and doesn’t want us to either! That’s why he gave us his word, his Spirit and his only Son!! Go bravely into the trials my friends! He is with you and will see you blessed more than you can possibly imagine!! Trust in him! In this world you will have troubles, but take heart! He has overcome the world!!
Thank you Lord for your word, for those who lived before us and set us a great example, and for the reminders that we give each other prompted by your Spirit, that we are not alone!! Amen
I love you dear friends!! Take heart
Speaking truth in kindness 