Purpose for the Pain

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."

Romans 8:35,37

When going through times of trouble, periods of persecution or interludes of sadness, I often cease to feel God's presence.  My own anguish threatens to envelope me, sealing me off from the Lord's presence. 

But He never left me.  He is always there, rather it is I who left Him.  Not intentionally, as in, "I don't need Him anymore, I can do this on my own."  Instead, it's more of a, "woe is me, how did I get in so deep?  I cannot find my way out of this mess."  

My focus becomes entirely consumed by the problems and I don't see, feel or sense God anymore.  I am drowning in the issues of life.

But hard times don't need to separate me from God, instead they can be tools that serve to strengthen my relationship with Him. 

Draw Me Closer

When times of trouble come, it is easy for me to allow the difficulties to take control.  Soon, I am overwhelmed and can see no way out.

If, instead, I intentionally take a moment and seek God, I will find that He is still present, in control and waiting for me to call on Him.  As the psalmist described God's desire for us in Psalm 50:15,  he records God's proclomation. ". . .call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

God is ready to act but it takes a step of faith for me to give a problem to Him before He will get involved.  His desire is to draw me closer, and many times the hardships are the only thing that will turn me toward Him.  Otherwise, I am completely content to live my life as it is. 

God uses adversity to draw me closer, but I must not let the troubles take control lest they overwhelm me.  If I intentionally turn away from the problem, and focus on Him as the solution, I will find Him there, closer than I ever realized.

Struggles are God's way of teaching me to cry out to Him.

Grow my Faith

When I was pregnant with triplets and on bedrest in the hospital, I learned quite a few things about babies under stress.  I found out that baby girls seem to withstand difficult pregnancies better than boys, that multiples tend to develop faster, and that the baby under the most stress seems to fare the best.   Infants born with multiple problems and low birth weight often have a better chance than those born early but with less difficulties.  The stress of the struggle tends to give the baby a better chance of survival.

It is the same with me.  If I never experienced any hard times, my faith would be weak.  I'd never get the chance to test it out! 

Trials are not simply there to make life interesting.  They are opportunities to trust God, to believe that He will do as He promised.  Difficulties give me a chance to see God in a whole new way, giving me more faith.

English clergyman George Herbert is known to have said, "Storms make oaks take deeper roots."  I want to have deep roots that draw from the living water that never goes dry.

As I go through the storms of life, instead of despairing, I can rejoice.  God is giving me another opportunity to trust Him and grow the roots of my faith.

Experience His Comfort

I remember the times when I skinned my knee, stubbed my toe or hurt myself in some way as a child.  I would then get to see a different side of my dad.  He would lighten the mood by calling for, "Dr Shane, Dr Shane, please come to the treatment room!"  Then he would lovingly clean my wound, instantly putting me at ease and making me feel better.  Everything was going to be okay!

God is the same way!  When I am hurt, I can turn to Him and He will comfort me.  As David wrote in Psalm 34:18, " The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

God provides hard times as a chance to get to know Him better.  I would never become familiar with His caring, gentle side if I didn't experience hardships.  

Difficulties are often seen as the bane of my existence, but in reality I can look at them as an opportunity to draw closer to God, to grow my faith and to experience His comfort.  There is a purpose for the pain!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will take whatever come to me today as an opportunity to learn more about God.

How do I let troubles take control instead of turning to God and letting Him handle them for me?

When have I experienced the God of all comfort?