As the world's clutziest clutz I am no stranger to pain. The last time I twisted my ankle I tripped over my crutches. How ironic is that? Anyway, for a blonde like me, pain is almost a part of life. I am constantly running into stuff. My poor legs are so bruised some people think I'm a fighter. To this I say, I'm a lover, not a fighter. Nobody needs to beat me, I do it enough to myself! I mean, come on, how many other people that you know have broken their ankle by falling out of a parked bus?But a lot of times pain isn't just physical. It's emotional as well. And it's important to know how to deal with it. Because whether it be the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, a friend who has gone astray, a terminal illness, or just a hopeless situation, we all have to face it. Hardships like these can tear our lives apart, and God does not always explain why our hearts have to be broken so painfully.
Nobody understood pain better than Job. And nobody could figure out why he was suffering. Some thought he had turned astray. And that his pain was punishment. His own wife even turned his back on him. And she was one of the few things he had left. "His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said." (Job 2:9-10).
There are a few things we can learn from Job. First, Job was a man that had serious questions about God. Real faith doesn't mean you don't have any questions. But it also doesn't mean that faith is any less of an option at those times. In fact, those are the times we need it the most. Because like Job, it may be all we have left. But still, Job's broken heart did not break his faith. "I believe in the sun even when it isn't shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even though He seems silent" (World War II Refugee).
Second, godly people can suffer as painfully as anyone else in the world. And when this does happen remember 1 Peter 4:12-13. "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."
Third, Job clung to the hope that He could get through anything as long as God was with Him- as long as his Redeemer lived (Job 19:25) He could survive everything being taken away from him because he still had everything. If we viewed pain as bearable because we have one who's already bore it for us on the cross, that makes the situation seems ten times better already. And it's during those times that we can't go on anymore that God says "It's okay. I'm here. You're alright." We are called to cling to the cross. And sometimes that means clinging for dear life.
And it is important to understand that God is not vindictive. He doesn't cause pain, He allows it. Pain is a result of evil, but that doesn't mean that God can't use it for His purpose. After all, that's why He is good. Because He makes good, even out of bad. God uses pain to get our attention. Sometimes we don't see the fire until we feel the heat. Often, we forget the source of our strength. We neglect God's grace. We get distracted from our need of daily spiritual renewal from God's word. "It is good for me that I was afflicted, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws." (Psalm 119:71).
There are a few things we can learn from Job. First, Job was a man that had serious questions about God. Real faith doesn't mean you don't have any questions. But it also doesn't mean that faith is any less of an option at those times. In fact, those are the times we need it the most. Because like Job, it may be all we have left. But still, Job's broken heart did not break his faith. "I believe in the sun even when it isn't shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even though He seems silent" (World War II Refugee).
Second, godly people can suffer as painfully as anyone else in the world. And when this does happen remember 1 Peter 4:12-13. "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."
Third, Job clung to the hope that He could get through anything as long as God was with Him- as long as his Redeemer lived (Job 19:25) He could survive everything being taken away from him because he still had everything. If we viewed pain as bearable because we have one who's already bore it for us on the cross, that makes the situation seems ten times better already. And it's during those times that we can't go on anymore that God says "It's okay. I'm here. You're alright." We are called to cling to the cross. And sometimes that means clinging for dear life.And it is important to understand that God is not vindictive. He doesn't cause pain, He allows it. Pain is a result of evil, but that doesn't mean that God can't use it for His purpose. After all, that's why He is good. Because He makes good, even out of bad. God uses pain to get our attention. Sometimes we don't see the fire until we feel the heat. Often, we forget the source of our strength. We neglect God's grace. We get distracted from our need of daily spiritual renewal from God's word. "It is good for me that I was afflicted, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws." (Psalm 119:71).
God allows pain to give us a ministry to others. Pain can help us to be humble, sympathetic, and sensitive to the needs of other people. It allows us to fully understand compassion. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
And our only response to this is to cling to the hope that we will NEVER leave His hands. He is ALWAYS there. Psalm 9:10 "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you."
"And I'll be by your side. Wherever you fall. In the dead of night. Whenever you call. And please don't fight these hands that are holding you. My hands are holding you."
"And I'll be by your side. Wherever you fall. In the dead of night. Whenever you call. And please don't fight these hands that are holding you. My hands are holding you."
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