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No, they do not themselves remove our pain. We must trust that God is using our suffering for something greater than we can see now. Why? God knows how much pain we can handle. It will come, not instantaneously, but completely. Thats the perspective we can have because of heaven. I dont know that you have never noticed that the number 40 is used several times in the Bible. He doesnt waste the pain in our lives. Paul concluded for himself that his thorn was meant to keep him from becoming conceited about his miraculous life and ministry. For those who will dare search for pains purpose, there is one more thing. To read Pauls letters to those churches, one might come away with the idea that Paul was continually frustrated, and that his work wasnt very successful. My union with Christ, a reality for every believer, melts into sweet communion in my pain. Were not fond of pain, or even slight discomfort. It is not wise, or even biblical, to tell someone in pain that God "won't give them more than they can bear." After all, that passage (1 Corinthians 10:13) is clearly about avoiding temptation, not overcoming pain. The relief didnt come, but the message of Christ exploded in that city, in a large part because of the unfair suffering theyd known. Pain Perspective Certainly it would seem that God would give those in Christian ministry a free pass from pain. Pain management with prescriptions, exercise, massage, etc. At first, that lump of clay is just thata lump. According to most scholars time-lines, Jesus was crucified about A.D. 30. He works in ALL things to produce Christ-like maturity., One way God uses our pain for good is to draw people closer to Christ. This is the last message from 1 John summarizing the letter. Pentecostal. There are times in our lives when it seems like God is against us. Our suffering is momentary and for a little while as we consider and experience it in light of eternity. You would agree to the discomfort and danger because of the reward thats coming. Three times Paul was shipwrecked, and he once spent a full day a night and a day, as he puts it on the open sea. Its a prime-time witness, when all eyes are on the person who hurts. Crowns of glory. He is using your suffering and pain in ways you would not believe if someone told you. In fact, as he set about his world planting churches, and becoming the leader of the evangelistic movement among Gentiles, he seemed to endure an incredible amount of pain. The apostle Paul talks about sharing in Christs sufferings, wanting to know him and the power of his resurrection (Philippians 3:10). God was working in the weather patterns that circled the globe. You will have pain, but y our pain will turn into joy. That brings back memories of the doctors office and that giant needle moving ever closer. The Deliverer is on the way! They want to live like they want. That means your pain is never in vain. Everything might have been fine, except I had no medical care at all. To ensure you receive the best experience on Lifeway.com, we use cookies to process information about your visit. Bring your pain to God don't run from him. Given the culture that he grew up in, he was probably judged and talked about because he: Jesus went through what youre facing and he felt the things that youre feeling. Please, God.Please, God.Please, God.. Title: Living like you know God. Youll see the character on the inside that inspires all of us. (Acts 19:10) Suddenly, in as little time as it takes to incite a riot, 25,000 people packed the local theater and screamed their disapproval of the message that was threatening the worship of Artemis, one of the most important economic engines of the city. Two miraculously-personal encounters occurred in maybe sixteen weeks, and not another one for sixteen years! . Pain and offense are tools used by the Devil to isolate individuals and make them more susceptible to spiritual attack. Somatic or nociceptive pain, activation of pain receptors: i.e., cut, broken bones, tissue damage. Take comfort in the fact that God knows what youre feeling. Scripture: Psalm 139:1-4. Illustration: The beauty of a single pearl, or a string of the precious stones, is unmistakable. God loves us as we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way. . Or if you have experienced tormenting, all-consuming physical pain with no relief, you can know a little of Christs fellowship in suffering. (01) Paul also had a vision, however, of a man from Macedonia (Acts 16:9) and an angel of the Lord (Acts 27:2324). 2. You can know God on two levels. The God who has numbered every hair on your head and knows every sparrow that falls to the ground is aware of every detail of your situation. Furthermore, the more we share in Jesuss sufferings, the more we understand the power of his resurrection, and the more we can see his glory. We may never see the fulfillment of all we felt certain God would do. I think its fair to say that for most of Pauls pain, Jesus didnt show up. You know its going to be a tough day when. When we experience it our natural tendency is to shut everyone out. Scripture: Mark 5:21-43. However, if we are going to be successful in moving forward then well need to let go of all that useless, heavy baggage. Every man or woman who does not know God is living in slavery to something.If God is not your God then something else will be. He could prove the power of God even more with the miracles that were so common in Ephesus, for instance (Acts 19:11-12). We hear all the time, oh that religious stuff is fine for you, but Ive got my work and my family, According to God's PURPOSE Not according to your PAIN. However, I would add a third certain to that list. CSB Experiencing God Bible, Hardcover, Jacketed. One of the most difficult things about pain is the feeling that its pointless. I understand in part. He knows that your straw has been taken away. What pain do you need to offer to God today? He hadnt always had enough food, clothing, sleep, or friends. Christian/Church Of Christ. It has marked me. I was in the darkest time of my life. The greatness of this truth can only be seen when we consider the vastness of space and the trillions and trillions of stars. Our God sees us, knows everything about us and loves us perfectly! Wonder of wonders, in some small measure, lowly me gets to identify with and enter his grief. I couldnt see Him, but I sensed His presence in ways I cannot express in words. Matthew 10:22, Denomination: So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. And so it is with us. First, we have a high priest, Jesus, that can emphasize with our weakness because while on earth He was fully human and tempted in every way. You may feel as if you are invisible, that no one really sees you or comprehends your hurt and despair. He knows what disappointment feels like and He knows how stubborn mankind is because He created all things ( Colossians 1:16 ), knows all things ( Psalm 139 ), and can experience in perfect matrimony, all things. Fellowship is an irreplaceable means of grace in the Christian life and offers us two priceless joys: receiving Gods grace through the helping words of others and giving his grace to others through our own. And I am convinced that the less earthly pleasure and reward we have received, the greater our pleasure and reward will be in heaven. Date of Birth, Gender God wants to work in your pain to make you more like Jesus. The pain didnt go away. Pastor John gets to the heart and offers practical suggestions for growing in evangelism. Sign up, jQuery(document).ready(function($){ . . Marcus Donaldson has been following Christ since 2004. When uncertain and unpredictable events occur, we are weighed down with worry for where we'll end up next. When you begin to doubt that God sees you, turn again to Psalm 139. We live in a day when many people are not even interested in knowing God. You are loved. When I am weak, then I am strong, Paul said. But thankfully, I know that the opposite is true my suffering has been entrusted to me by God, and he is using every drop of it to fulfill his good purposes for me. Your kid might be in pain from falling off a wagon, a broken heart, an unexpected breakup, the flu, or the homesickness of your college freshman. God knows youre struggling and, more importantly, he knows what hes doing. It was written because these are issues we will all face in our lives. So The Junior Bible Quiz Sermon Series And after, say, 572,282,325 years of heaven, I dont think youll even remember the pain you had on earth. The word appears 38 times in just 100 verses. 21:21) are made of pearls. The angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar as she was alone and despairing in the wilderness and assured her that it was safe to return. You are not alone. As I share in Christs suffering, I find an unusual closeness to Jesus that offers a rare glimpse of his glory. TEXT: Hebrews 2: 5-11, 14-18 You know it's going to be a tough day when. He knows what disappointmentfeels like and He knows how stubborn mankind is because He created all things (Colossians 1:16), knows all things (Psalm 139), and can experience in perfect matrimony, all things. He knows what its like to hunger and thirst, to endure sleepless nights and exhausting days, to experience agonizing pain, and to pour himself out for others who are hostile in return. In verse 29, we get Gods definition of good. He defines good as conforming us to the likeness of his son. But as I submit to him through suffering, something shifts in me. This sermon reminds the believer that God is a God of absolute knowlege. Life starts with a good slap to a babys bottom, and in some aspects, goes downhill from there. God will get on us sometimes for not listening. It's no wonder that people have found themselves weeping, crying, and calling out to God . Please eradicate these annoying animals.A small deer came into my camp and stole my jar of pickles. . it can cloud our vision or clear our vision. All Rights Reserved. He's Where the Joy Is by Tara-Leigh Cobble, Black Church Leadership & Family Conference. My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death, he said to them. As God worked, the waiting was hard for Joseph bitterly hard. The method of knowing God is through forgiveness of our sins, where we, God is Fully Revealed in Jesus Christ It was a messenger from Satan, sent to torment him. Now I see in a mirror dimly. If you havent already, be sure to join our, Special Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Pain happens. Jeremiah 9:23-24, Denomination: We can tell the story in a minute or two. What if we limp? 1. We may soon look back at todays trials and marvel at Gods faithful hand in them. Show me thy ways. Suffering brings an intimacy with God, a mysterious and sacred fellowship that cannot be captured in words. Whenever the needles sink deep into my head, the extreme pain brings into sharp focus Jesus and his crown of thorns. They will have to face His judgment. From Josephs point of view, there was a time in his life when every angle of life showed nothing but pain. & Peazy, nobigdyl. Like nothing else, it can introduce us to the power of God. Summary: God won't put more on you than you can bare! This means that if you make a purchase after clicking on one of the links below, though your cost does not change, I may receive a small commission. There, Jesus told Paul to take the message of the gospel to the Gentiles, an instruction that represented a major shift in missions and in Pauls personal life. He comprehends the unexplainable anguish that invades our lives like an intruder bent on stealing valuables our self-esteem, purity, health, hope, future and more. read more, Scripture: Exodus 33:12-15. He works in ALL things to produce Christ-like maturity. It doesnt deny our pain or how much it hurts. The three of them were thrown into a giant furnace to be executed. Deals with one of the reasons people give for taking thier lives into thier own hands near the end of life, the second part of a 3 part series. The image calms my heart, but best of all, it binds me to his love. Instead, this idea is best used as a self-study. VARIOUS REACTIONS TO PAIN If the Devil can use your pain to drive a wedge between a believer and Christ; he is doing his job. read more, Scripture: Look at the passage we just read. Those who deny pain. If youre a parent, you already know what its like. read more, Scripture: Or any number of the stunning array of diseases, disabilities or discouragements that can come our way. There is a nearness, a personalness to God that David immediately feels in trouble. Psalm 139:13-14, For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mothers womb. That God was using my suffering to accomplish something far greater than I could see or understand. ITS TIME TO LET GO OF THE PAIN As I got up this morning I felt pains in my body that are a result of sparring in my karate class, preparing for a tournament later this week. Need to Know But sixteen years, at least, passed before Paul had another such recorded experience. These are lessons that can be learned only in the classroom of suffering, and only the student enrolled there is allowed to make the discovery. And pain has a power. In the world of sports, it might be John Elway limping back to the huddle before taking his team to a Super Bowl title. read more, Scripture: The gem inside has amazing beauty and holds great value all because the oyster had great suffering. 1. read more, Scripture: 19Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Imagine you are afraid of heights and I offer you $10 to jump out of an airplane. Copyright 2023 Proverbs 31 Ministries. This still does not ease the oyster's suffering. Yes Senior Center Devotional In Ephesus, Pauls had what might be his most successful ministry anywhere, preaching there fore more than two years until all who lived in the province of Asia heard the Gospel. I know, because I have experienced this before. In fact, the only thing that seemed to discourage Paul were the problems in his young churches. Your affliction has a purpose. The insolent smear us with lies, but with our whole hearts, we keep Your precepts. Without that we do not have eternal life; we have eternal punishment. We want to know that Jesus understands our suffering, which he does, but there is an even deeper fellowship when we understand a little of his. I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods (Daniel 3:25). read more, Scripture: 12:7-10 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 3 People, Permanent, and Perfected Pain He doesnt cause all things, but he does cause them to work together for our good. read more, Scripture: Fights Himself & Lights it Up in Lighter Fluid Video, Rapzilla Freshmen 2023 EmanuelDaProphet Speaks on Lil Yachty Collab, Drake & Kendrick Release Christian Rap Song Thanks to A.I. Ive always been interested in what motivates people to make changes in their lives so this past week I did a Yet that doesnt mean its easy to just release all the wreckage of the past. Reminder: You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. It, I can quote scripture to you. As my daughter Christy likes to say, God never wastes our pain when its offered to Him. Perhaps our pain will draw us close to Him, keep us from harm or enable us to encourage others who are suffering. Everyone experiences pains, and while the size and scope may vary, our source of help does not. 4. But we can be certain that, as Joni Eareckson Tada says, Well thank God endlessly in heaven for the trials he sent us here.. When you are a year old, it hurts a lot, and there is no joy in it. I picture my Savior yielding to the spike-like barbs, wholly embracing his own suffering to rescue me. Presbyterian/Reformed, Where is God when life hurts? Their refusal was the result of their allegiance to God. So, while we may have to suffer some now, we can find hope knowing that something even better than ice cream is coming. . The risen Christ proves this, and can transform our disappointments, disillusionments, and shame into joy. It is full of meaning and will not be wasted, even if all I can see in the moment is my loss. That means your pain is never in vain. In our time of need, if we look to our abilities, more likely than not, our situation will not change. Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. Perhaps Paul explained why it would be a good idea to have the pain removed. The purpose of this message is to inform the 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Were on a mission to change that. We will call this The apostle Paul is the New Testaments version of an unsinkable Molly Brown. As was the case for the Titanics most famous survivor, Paul simply refused to go down with the ship literally. We must never glibly explain someones pain as a work of God. I can tell you story after story of Christians who found strength in their pain and a feeling of peace they couldnt explain. Masochism, no pain, no gain. They enjoy pain. I thought about going back over his specific statements regarding the purpose of his writing. For a moment, an awareness of his presence can so completely envelop and overshadow our pain that we become immersed in fellowship with Jesus, unaware of anything around us. In just a few weeks, Paul had another supernatural experience in Jerusalem, when he saw the Lord speaking while in a trance (Acts 22:17). Pain becomes our teacher when God wants to teach us something. * Intro: Baptist. The following are actual responses from comment cards given to the staff members at Bridger Wilderness Area in 1996: Trails need to be wider so people can walk while holding hands.Trails need to be reconstructed. He knows your hurt, your fear and groaning. It is a very rare medical condition that causes you to ooze or sweat blood from your skin when youre not cut or injured andoccursunderconditionsof extreme physical or emotional stress. This series on death and dying was not written to be morbid. Hebrews 2:5-18, Denomination: Isaiah 43:18-19, Denomination: Mark 5:21-43 We must gain pain perspective. But I knew God saw me, and He saw my pain. at all 6 of our campuses It is for people who live each day with an anxious foreboding about their future. Jesus knew pain, of course, weeping at the tomb of Lazarus, and over unrepentant Jerusalem. I want us to look into the Bible and look at some Bible characters and at some lives transformed in 40 days. He holds us. Or perhaps its one who suffers from Lou Gehrigs Disease. Or perhaps just a needed break from our pain and suffering. Have you noticed how people listen to people in pain with a special intensity? That is, to know by experience, to know personally and intimately, not merely intellectually. This morning I want to give you the most important "Pop Quiz" you will ever take: His focus, energy, and resilience were nearly frightening. We live in a day of proliferating knowledge. He battled temptation and anxiety over his young churches. And that my pain wouldnt last any longer than was absolutely necessary. He is all around us, in front of us and behind us, and His hand is on us. 2 Cor. A people without hope. In the midst of the suffering, it is extremely difficult to find the purpose of our pain, and to celebrate that purpose. In places like Athens, Ephesus, and Corinth, the once powerful temples and the religion of the Greek gods that so dominated his culture are in ruins. Riding on a plane to a conference called Marked. Independent/Bible. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Mark 14:33-34 states, he (Jesus) began to be deeply distressed and troubled.