Most of us will experience pain in our lifetime. Others, like me, will learn to live with chronic pain. After more than twenty-five surgeries, including three joint replacements, I’ve learned to adapt to my limitations.
How then do we live and survive the pain? The way I see it, we have two choices: 1) Crawl into bed, pull the covers over your head, and stay there until your pity party is over. 2) Decide to live in God’s grace and be an overcomer despite the pain. After all, God has great plans for you! (Romans 8:28)
There is value in walking through painful circumstances. Here are a few reasons why:
- We can learn to trust God – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
- We can learn to obey God –”Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.” (Psalm 119:67)
- We can learn more about who God is – “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
- We can become more mature in our faith – “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:4)
- We can be a blessing to others – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 3-4)
There are many benefits in hoping and trusting in our Lord:
- He is called the “God of hope.” “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)
- Jesus is called a Man of Sorrows. He knows your pain, your grief and can empathize with you. “He is despised and rejected by men, And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” (Isaiah 53:3) Jesus was broken for you. His finished work on the cross secured our hope. There is hope in the valley. There is deliverance at the end of each trial. There is joy in the journey.
- Give the Lord the key to your heart. Allow God to carry your burdens, your pain, your loneliness, and your regrets. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)
- Develop a strong and confident expectation that what God promised in His Word is true. “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
- Become a prisoner of hope. “Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today, I declare that I will restore double to you.” (Zechariah 9:12)
- All Scriptures from NKJV
Expect great things from God; accept great things from God.
Thank you, Lord, for using my painful experiences to minister to the lives of other broken people.
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Love and Blessings, Maureen
