Dealing With Pain
The Gift of Suffering
“For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake” Phil. 1:29.
Do not fight your pain: it is not the enemy. Rather embrace it in faith. See it not as a problem, but as a provision. God does not give you pain in order to hurt you; It is a transforming grace, tailored for your life. It is not its purpose to engulf you, to swallow you, to pull you into yourself: such would incite a spirit of self-will. Deny self. Do not allow it to be the center, the object of your affections. Realize that the problem lies not with pain; it lies with Self. Mere kindness and benevolence seek to shield one from any pain; to desire only that which pleases.
But be assured: real love, true love, abiding love is no stranger to trials, to pain, to suffering. The Apostle prayed thrice, “Lord, remove my pain, my thorn in the flesh.” But it was not possible. For God had purposed to be his sufficiency through Grace: and the pain, the thorn that he bore, was itself an intricate part of God’s love, Of His Sufficiency, of His Grace.
It is in error if one thinks to limit the grace of God, “unmerited favor,” to that which is only pleasant, desirable, and comforting. If Christ is Savior, if He is Lord of your life, if He is Lord of all your circumstances, will you dare to trust Him as Lord, even of your sufferings? “Who can do that?” Well, Jesus did. It seems then of Holy Design that pain is interwoven with love and likewise with grace.
To those who love God. . .who are the called according to His purpose. . .all things work together. . . for our good... for His glory. Love, grace, and yes, even pain.
