How many really like pain. We go to great lengths to avoid pain. We insulate, medicate, educate and situate ourselves to avoid as much pain as possible. This presents a problem for followers of Jesus. He often has purpose in pain. He uses painful experiences to shape us and teach us. Pain prepares us for His purposes.
Paul knew this about as well as anyone. He felt physical pain often. Beaten, stoned, incarcerated in addition to the sting of constant opposition. All made Paul comfortable with being uncomfortable. On one such occasion, after another beating, Paul sat in prison with a companion. They didn't sulk. They sang.
A wild scene broke out. A huge earthquake came shaking the very foundations of the prison. Doors opened. Shackles fell unlocked. The jailer awoke in a panic fearing all the prisoners escaped and he would be held responsible. In despair he drew his sword to take his own life before Paul stopped him. Paul informed none of the prisoners had escaped.
With that little bit of information, God's purpose for the pain unfolded. Without going into great detail, Paul stayed on mission inside the prison just like he did when free outside the prison.
I know from some of your vantage points it is very hard to understand the painful circumstances in your life at the moment. While you pray for relief ,the painful trials persist. Satan loves to manipulate thoughts and cause people to doubt God and cast blame at Him. I encourage you not to do this.
It is a choice. We choose what we think about. More so we choose what dwell on. If we dwell on negative, doubting, depressed, unfair, and self pity guess what will follow. We will adopt that attitude. It will consume us and strangle hope.
On the other hand, if we choose to set our minds on the things of God, and not our painful circumstances we can rise above them. Just like the eagle soaring above the storms we can soar in our spirit above the present pain. We can also trust God has a purpose in it. We can trust that purpose to be accomplished by trust.
Pain is part of the human experience. Wealthy people cannot avoid pain with all their money. Neither can powerful people. Children learn pain at an early age with scraped knees and boo-boos. Pain comes in many forms. There is the pain of a broken heart. There is physical pain like with cancer or a physical injury.
Sometimes there are no easy answers. No easy fixes and solutions. There is a God who rules. He is never taken by surprise. He has shown through the ages He can be trusted. So I invite you to ask Him the same question I ask, "God, what is Your purpose behind this present pain?"
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