Problems and Pain

 Everybody has problems. They come in different shapes and sizes. They vary in degrees of severity. Some are just minor irritations. Others are mountain like in scope. Impossible to dismiss and way too massive to shove to the side. Chances are you are facing problems even as you read this. Problems you have not told anyone. Problems you cannot solve without divine intervention. 

Everybody faces pain from time to time. From scraped knees to scary diagnosis like cancer. People suffer various forms of pain. No amount of money can keep pain away at arms length. Pain penetrates when people we love die. Especially when it is prematurely. Brenda and I ate at one of our favorite restaurants a few days ago. We talked with the owner who took a leave of absence for a couple of weeks. We asked about this and turns out her mother recently died. Brenda instantly connected with as her mother died a little over a year ago. None of us are exempt from pain. 

When you put problems and pain together, God followers have opportunity to grow in faith. It is in the problems and the pain that we are forced to trust God and in doing so our faith is stretched. This stretching actually grows our faith to believe God for more. We cling to Him and His word to get us through the tough stuff. We cling to assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Heb 11:1

We are told in Ps 34:18 that God is near to the brokenhearted. He saves those who are crushed in spirit. Are you one of those today? Have the problems and pain worn you down? God is still near to you even if it doesn't feel that way. Are your problems weighing you down and sucking the life from you? Cast all your cares on God and He will sustain you. Ps 55:22 Do you weep nightly in despair. Find comfort in Ps 30:5 which reminds us that weeping may last for a night, but that joy comes in the morning. Sometimes that joy in the morning may seem like a long way off. It will come if we persevere and keep trusting. 

Problems and pain are really opportunities to behold the faithfulness of God over and over again. Those are not pleasant seasons. Some of you are waiting on God and wonder why He delays. I cannot give you a satisfactory answer to that question. All I can do is testify when I have waited on God long enough and trusted Him, He comes through. Sometimes at the last possible moment. Often in ways I never expected. Now when facing problems and pain I am able to look back and be reminded of all the times God helped in the past. 

A verse I have clung to for decades is Ps 46:1. God is our refuge. A safe place to retreat and find shelter when the problems and pain get the best of us. He is also our strength. When we don't think we can take anymore, press on through another day, pray another prayer, or take any more pain, God helps us. Helps us through the next minute. Helps us through the next hour and the next day. He is also our very present help in trouble. I love that verse. Maybe God will use it to help you through your problems and your pain.