Paul says it this way in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (TLB): "We were crushed and overwhelmed and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves but that was good for then we put everything into the hands of God who could save us and he did help us.". It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. ‣ Suffering forces us to turn from trust in our own resources to living by faith in God’s resources. Pain that doesn’t drive you to a remedy, is only painful and miserable. God uses your pain to help other people. 4. God sometimes says "No" to our prayer. I understand because I've been there! Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. It is designed to build our trust in the Almighty, but suffering requires the right response if it is to be successful in accomplishing God’s purposes. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. God wants to use and recycle the pain in our lives to help others, but we've got to be open and honest about it. He just would have needed to take away that person's free will. Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Why me? Sometimes we get hurt because of other people's bad choices. Publication date: Sep 5, 2020. But he wanted us to love him voluntarily. We all go through that valley and when we can remember that He will use our darkest moments to help others, we can move through that valley and know that no matter how difficult it becomes, God will turn it into something good. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. M 2. Sometimes we make dumb choices. Remember the story of Jonah? But when suffering comes, we might be able to use our pain in order to birth a ministry in the area we’re hurting. It was a 12-week series, but it could have been 50. As you've heard before, God whispers to us in our pleasure, but he shouts to us in our pain. Labs W Selah. But here's the dilemma. Proverbs 20:30 says, "Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways.". And putting out to sea from there we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Never forget that truth. I understand the guy who says he is miserable and wants out of marriage. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Without pain, you would neglect your need for saving and salvation. Some have called the latest, "Irmageddon." More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. The truth is, some things we only learn through pain. Nobody's perfect. Without pain, you would too easily forget your need for God. Not only do we have free will, but everyone else does as well. ‣ So he provided a typical Mediterranean cruise for him – a whale! For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? God never wastes a hurt! But remember that no matter which method He uses, it expresses His love. Abide in me, and I in you. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Is God trying to get your attention? D God listened, delivered them from the Midianites, and blessed them. Y When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. ... For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. Our Pain Has a Greater Purpose. R But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance. Attention-Getting Pain. Q “Pain insists upon being attended to. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. F ‣ But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him leave to go to his friends and be cared for. When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Sometimes it takes pain to get us to do what God wants us to do. G A Song of Ascents. But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. E “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of prosperity. H Pain isn't your problem. There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 7:9, "I am glad not because it hurts you, but because the pain turns you to God." I can choose to experiment with drugs. Perhaps your marriage failed, your parents divorced, you got fired, your girlfriend or boyfriend dumped you. God uses pain to get our attention. What is going on in our world right now? I wasn't motivated to buy new shoes until there were seven days of rain in a row, and I had to put up with soggy shoes several days in a row. ... For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. God uses pain to teach us to depend on him. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Here are five ways God wants to use the problems in your life: 1. Ministry Is Birthed out of Pain. We've all been hurt by someone else at some point in life. It tells us something is wrong. Free will isn't only a blessing. God uses it to guard us. 2. If I get addicted, that's my fault. You can follow along AND support the show by purchasing a copy of the Easy-to-Read Holy Bible from Amazon. Do you want award-winning journalism with a, New Mexico church responds to $10K fine for holding services amid COVID-19, Ohio Gov. It tells us something is wrong. Pain is a warning light. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”. Do you want award-winning journalism with a Christian worldview, delivered to your inbox? But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. God wills pain for good purposes and results. God gave us choice. Lewis, The Problem of Pain tags: humility , pain It's a symptom. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. But how so? If so, what was He trying to get across to you? God allows pain to teach you to depend on him. ‣ The child's death was used to get David's attention in an extreme situation involving the nation's leader who deliberately acted against the will of God. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. Similar to tragedy and discomfort, pain often gets us speaking with God. Why now? It's God's megaphone. Meanwhile Saul(Paul) was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Pastor, I bet if there's one question you get more than any others, particularly when you're ministering to people in times of crisis, it's "Why does God allow pain?" Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. They were great! And, at the bottom of the ocean, Jonah said, "When I had lost all hope I once again turned my thoughts to the Lord." It evokes a conversation that may not have otherwise been there. God may bless us in an unusual way to gain our attention. He could have forced us to worship, serve, and love him. Watch Queue Queue. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. If our attention returns to Jesus, we become closer to God through pain. There is a reason for everything we go through and face. ‣ If you never had a problem, you'd never know God could solve it. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. A Song. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. Do not even the Gentiles do the same? God doesn't want us to have this kind of pain, but he allows us to face the consequences of our choices. But after awhile, I got holes in the soles. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. ‣ It is there that you find your unholiness atoned for and your eternal holiness secured. And when we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. Suffering is a tool God uses to get our attention and to accomplish His purposes in our lives. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. So we do not lose heart. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. Please click here to learn how. You've probably asked yourself, "Why didn't God prevent it?" Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! Ask Dr. Land: Why are people so excited by the arrival of a New Year? Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. Do you think God has ever used pain and suffering to get your attention? Jonah bends his knee and his heart in repentance and his prayer is recorded in chapter 2. ‣ And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Of the Sons of Korah. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 20 Courses For Self-Improvement Through the Bleak Winter Months, Tyrese announces divorce, says wife made him ‘better man of God’, Parents protest medicalized gender-transitioning of kids at Children's Hospital: 'I was totally in the dark', Trump calls for end to religious persecution on 850th anniversary of death of Thomas Becket, Don’t waste the pandemic, John Piper tells Cross for the Nations conference, Missionary Sean Feucht faces opposition over LA New Year’s events, New Mexico megachurches fined $10K for violating coronavirus restrictions. S ometimes I am convinced that God allows us to fall into certain situations just because He gets a kick out of watching us get all tangled up in fiascos of our own making. This Week on the Edifi Podcast Network: An Ex-Abortion Nurse, Miracles, John Bevere, Lee Strobel, Why ‘Socialism Isn't Biblical’ and More! Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. A few years ago I did a Sunday morning sermon series on marriage where I talked about a different problem we worked through each week. The island was called Malta except through me is better to me than thousands gold... Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him leave to go the other way. beings... Land: Why are people so excited by the arrival of a new direction motivate! Learning from the law of sin and death son is there whom his Father does discipline!, never having tasted of prosperity, and whoever fears has not been in... Beware of false prophets, who walk in the soles I had a pair shoes! Under a Creative Commons Attribution License for teaching, for they shall inherit the earth you, more. 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