I lifted a heavy weight. My arm struggled to reach it all the way to my shoulder. Although the weight training work was hard, I knew the result — down the road — would be significant, good even. There is gain, often, through pain.
After working out, I couldn’t help but think: Sometimes, God permits our pain for His greater gain.
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Cor. 4:17)
“Hard” produces something. The grueling, horrible and it-feels-like-you-are-going-to-break pain is not a waste. It is not trash. It is not something we run from. Instead, we hold God’s hand and trust Him to carry us through.
I met with a friend not long ago who experienced major relational pain with a friend. The conversations were painful. The decisions she had to make were even harder. She didn’t know if she could set boundaries. Yet, looking back, I see that her life is now transformed because of what she endured and how she trusted God. There was a greater glory God was working (even when she couldn’t see it). Now, she is serving God and others like never before. God may not have caused her pain (we have an enemy), but He certainly used it for her (and others) good.
Be it on Earth or in Heaven, through pain, God produces something greater than we can explain.
Pain often causes us to:
– draw near God (and He draws nearer to us)
– need a greater rescue (and we gain a testimony)
– pray (and see Him move)
– look beyond what we see in the natural (and trust God by faith and not by sight)
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Cor. 4:16)
What looks like it is going to kill us, God uses to renew us. God is always producing something greater…
Need proof? Look back upon your life. What good did God teach you from your hard times of the past? How have you grown? How have you learned to endure and persevere? Give thanks. These are good lessons.
Pray: God, we love you. We know that you are not not evil. You are good, not evil. What you create is good, not evil. At the same time, there are times in life where you allow pain. God, we want to thank you, although it is difficult, for the pain we are going through. We trust you with it. We believe that you will work out a better end, then we can see. It is hard to say this. It is sometimes hard to even believe this. Will you give us faith and hope during these times? We need you more than ever. In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
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On another note, I need your opinion! Which online course would you be the most interested in?
- How to Set Boundaries: Strengthen Relationships & Gain Peace
- How to Say No: Let Go and Gain More of What Matters
- Receiving Rest: Move Beyond Worry and Fear
I am thinking of doing a multi-part recorded and live workshop on one of the above topics. Which number are you most interested in?
Also, would a weeknight (a), a weekday (b.) or a weekend (c.) work best for you?
Kelly, thank-you for this timely encouragement. Every word spoke to my heart and what I’m walking through right now.
An online course on 1. How to Set Boundaries: Strengthen Relationships and Gain Peace would be so beneficial
On weekends sounds good 🙂 (whichever works for the majority)
Good morning,
After a very traumatic weekend filled with violence and heartbreak, this blog is helping me draw near to God and have hope in a dark time. I thank you Kelly for your service. I just woke up and received an email with the blog about Blood on my Hands. The message was so timely that I decided to come to the website and go through and read more. So again, I sincerely thank you for this. I would choose an online course on boundaries and also the third option on being free from worries. Weekends or a weeknight would be my choice. Thank you
Thank you for encouraging me to stand on the rock which is Jesus as I am struggling with health issues. Have felt such despair but God has been with me through the pain and I thank Him and praise Him for His mercies are new every morning. Pray I can be free from the anxiety and fear.
Chronic pain is damaging my brain… It interferes with my thoughts and memory… No amount of exercise is helping. I am very flexible but every week my walking distance is decreasing. I feel like I am going insane or developing dementia. I cannot even focus on a conversation when my pain levels are above 7 and I used to be very eloquent. I am not on any opioids. Can the pain signals totally take over the brain because that’s how I feel
Thank you for these words, because they came just in time. After a car accident, I need to learn to walk again. This is not only difficult, but also quite painful. But I control myself for the sake of my family, who need me and who are always by my side. Despite the moments of despair, I understand that I receive tremendous support from both my family and God. It makes me wake up every day with even more persistence in doing the exercises.