Pain is officially defined as an “unpleasant physical sensation, a feeling of discomfort or emotional distress.”

Pain can be an ache or an expression of grief.  The word “pain” rarely communicates what is REALLY going on.

Other descriptive words like “hurt, sting, throbbing, sorrow, anguish and the ultimate description; “agony” apply too.  Agony is a GREAT physical pain or mental anguish (extreme anxiety or emotional torment).

Oh friends!  How we need to understand that all of us are going to experience suffering in our life in one form or another!  And, we need to be ready for it.

We need to have the mindset that we are going use our sufferings as a learning experience and not something to drown in!  We must never forget that God will always be there to throw us a life preserver if we simply allow Him to pull us out of the depths of despair.

“You who are my Comforter in sorrow, my heart is faint within me,”   Jeremiah 8:18.

Those known as “Atheists” sometimes like to say that if we had a loving God then we would not have suffering, but what they don’t not realize is that a loving God would not have given us a free will and then take control of everything in our life so that we would be mindless robots.

God loves us and allows us to choose what we do, and He allows us to live life.  Life not only includes good times, but in a fallen world (like the one we live in), also bad times.

Many times the suffering we experience comes from us making bad choices and when that happens, it’s not God fault.  Even when suffering comes from an accident or something that happens naturally, we must understand that these kind of things are going to happen because life itself is not predictable!

Our hearts get pierced by thorns, some by intentional actions, and some indirectly.  Pain and Sorrow then occurs.

“The sorrow that God allows makes people sorry for their turning away from Him, and leads them to turn from sin so they can be spared from the punishment of sin.  We should be happy for that kind of sorrow, but the sorrow of this world brings death,”   2 Corinthians 7:10.

When we suffer because of poor choices we made, it will be a tender reminder of how frail we are and our need for great dependence on God almighty.  In this way of thinking, suffering can humble us and put us back in our place of kindness in service and the showing of mercy to all, so that we can see more clearly the error of our ways and our need to serve our God through being gracious, like He is.

Sometimes the best way to grow as person is to attend the school hard knocks.  Nobody enjoys that school, but those who make it through it will find out what they are made of and it will cause them to become a stronger person.  They learn to persevere and drink from the cup of genuine humility.

Did you notice, Christ was in horrific pain when he died, both physically and spiritually?

Yet He forgave us.  He also died and after being raised up, was full of joy because He had fulfilled His Father’s plan.  He knew where He was going!

What I am trying to say is this.  There is always a reason that we face the trials that we do.  If Christ, being human, can endure all of the persecution, hardships, temptations and trials, we can too.  This is why we never go through anything that we can’t learn and grow from.  Because of Christ.

It’s not in our own self sufficiency strength.  It’s His.

In closing out my message, I’m sharing a meaningful poem that a man by the name of Robert Browning Hamilton wrote.  It speaks so very deeply about pain and sorrow.

“I walked a mile with Pleasure;
She chatted all the way,
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow
And ne’er a word said she;
But oh, the things I learned from her…
…When Sorrow walked with me.”

A Prayer For Pain

Lord Jesus,
My soul is weary.
My burdens seem so heavy.
There is not a time when I don’t need You.
I ask for your grace and mercy- to relieve the pain.
We ask for your mercy- to extend beyond my reach.
I cling to your promises- with all that I can muster.
I praise You for the clay You shape…Into the beautiful sculpture that reveals Your Glory.
Amen.

In His Shadow,
~ Mary Lindow ^©

Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed as long as complete message and website information for Mary Lindow is included.  Thank You!

” THE MESSENGER ” ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
Global Prayer Rooms

Mary Lindow has a passion for encouraging others – all generations, careers or vocations to live expressing excellence through personal integrity, healthy accountability, and wise management of talents and skills. She’s a sought after keynote, inspirational, humorous speaker and teacher across the USA and internationally in Ministers & Spiritual leaders Conferences, and training seminars for various organizati

ons.

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