OVERVIEW
"Lord, why has this been so painful?" Have you ever ask God this kind of question? Are you in anguish and in deep sorrow? I don't know what you're going through right now and how you are dealing with the pain but one thing I know for sure. It is not your destination! - PAIN. This term has many definitions, but here we're not talking about physical hurt or injury. We're talking about emotional suffering.
But don't you know that God is not the author of distress and suffering. And this is one of the targets of the enemy especially to the younger generations to destroy our faith. But don't you buy it! God works for your good. And maybe He allowed you to experience the pain because He wants you to go through the process. And God knows what you will become after.
Just like the butterfly! Before it became a beautiful butterfly, I believe you knew that it was once a pupa. It undergoes 4 stages to grow into an adult. Yes! Maybe for you and me, it's also a process! To be worthy enough for our breakthrough, to become stronger and bolder. It doesn't just happen overnight.
PTR. PAUL DAUGHERTY said:
"There's no shortcuts to any place worth going."
People tend to react differently when they're dealing with pain. I bet you know what I meant on this. When we can't cope with the hurt, it comes out in our actions, the way we think, speak, and treat others. That's why we better be mindful because unknowingly, we may be talking to someone who is going through something for whatever reason. You can see a person smiling, trying to act normal, and looks tough on the outside yet hurting on the inside.
I heard once a preacher said, we, humans are so good at pretending, hiding what we truly feel. When we don't want to be vulnerable in front of others. I guess that's the norm. I believe, once in your life, you did try to act like everything's all good, that you are living a 'problem-free' and a 'perfect life'. However, I believe that we can't fake it forever, it would exhaust us.
But there must be another way to ease the pain and receive healing, right?. When everything looks falling apart, have hope in God, and trust the process. Meditate on these words and believe that you are not alone. It says in:
PSALM 147:2
"He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds."
MARK 5:34
"Jesus said to the woman, “You are now well because of your faith. May God give you peace! You are healed, and you will no longer be in pain."
ISAIAH 53:5
"But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed."
WHEN SOMEONE IS IN DEEP PAIN, HE/SHE IS:
2. Oversleeping --> Have you ever feel so discouraged in life that you don't even want to get up. It seems that your excitement is gone, you're not expecting anything? Well, you might be in a battle all by yourself. No one knows, right? Hmmm, It happened to me a lot. And it's one of the worst feelings in the world, despair! However, do you know that in all of that, you are not alone? The Lord sees you. I believe He sees us down here. That's why God said:
MATTHEW 11:28
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
MATTHEW 11:29-30
"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
3. Uncertain/Doubting --> I believe that when someone is hurting, that person becomes very emotional. When we listen to our feelings and to what eyes can only see, we are lacking in faith. Doubt, fear, uncertainty, negative thoughts will try to its best to consume us.
4. Distracted --> That's right. Someone who's in deep pain is or may be distracted from their purpose. When all you can see is the 'crushing', you can never soar and live in victory.
Get yourself back! Focus on your purpose! And believe that this season will come to pass. The situation you're in right now is not permanent and will never be. God has a perfect plan for your life. Keep fighting. Keep believing!
HERE ARE THE 3 MAIN REASONS WHY THE PROCESS IS PAINFUL:
HEBREWS 12:10 (CEV)
"Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is."
And when we obey, it's not always easy. Why? Apostle Paul explains it well, He said in Romans 7:19, "For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do." This is how we struggle between our fleshly desires and the will of God in our lives. The Lord wants us to live in righteousness however since we are still living in the flesh that which is contrary to the spirit, sometimes we sin, and therefore we need correction. Cause just like our earthly fathers, our Father in heaven loved us so much that He doesn't tolerate our wrongdoings. It says in:
HEBREWS 12:11 (NLT)
"No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward, there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way."
When we follow God's Words even if it hurts, it only means that we trust the Lord more than our senses, more than our feelings, more than what we see by our naked eye.
2. GOD WANTS OUR FULL SURRENDER
For instance, you just bought something that you badly want to have, it can be a new pair of Nike shoes, a new iPhone, or maybe just a cup of milk tea and a Mcdo fries. I don't know whatever it is. Let's just say it is something that really makes you happy. You're always thinking about it and waited the day that you'll finally have it. However, you were asked to hand it over to somebody who needs it the most. You were asked by your father, or you were convicted to do so. Will you surrender it? Will you choose to obey, be kind, and selfless?
I bet it'll be hard to give up what you already have right now in your hands. It'll be challenging for you to set aside your own happiness for the sake of others.
In life, the Lord may ask us to lay everything we have at the foot of the cross. Our ego, it may be an important person or simply anything that replaces the place of God in your heart. Yes, it may break your heart and it will be painful. It may sometimes make you feel miserable. However the God we serve said that His thoughts are of good and not of evil towards you, He wants to give you hope and a future, He does not want to harm you and make you suffer for life. Our God is faithful to His promises and He has a purpose.
If you're hurting now because you are trying to control things in your own strength, you're trying to fix broken relationships, you lose your job or you haven't found one yet and you are still uncertain of your future. You have financial difficulties and family issues. Or maybe you were rejected by people, rejected so many times that seems everything you do is not good enough. Maybe by circumstances, you lose someone you dearly loved, a family member, a friend. You know what, God saw it. Every bit of it. He sees you and He wants to heal you. God is going to restore you, He's only asking you one thing:
A HEART OF SURRENDER
Once you give your damaged heart to God. Be confident that He shall take care of everything. For some time, healing your soul is a process, it requires trust and constant communication with the Lord. Sometimes, it is instant, just like Apostle Paul's personal encounter with Jesus. All in all, there's a decision you have to make. Every day you must choose to have hope, joy, and believe!
ISAIAH 55:8-9 (NIV)
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
3. YOUR PAIN WILL BE WORTH IT
It is painful because it's going to be worth it. Just like a pregnant woman, right? She endured all the pain during her labor and after she saw her baby, she has forgotten the pain. It's only a season in life. Bp. TD Jakes explained in his book, 'Crushing' that we have to walk through a process to get to the promise. He pointed out that 'crushing' is just a stage, it's not a destination. It is supported by the passage in:
ROMANS 8:18 (NIV)
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."
FINAL THOUGHTS
I understand now why I am being reminded of my leader to fix my eyes to Jesus because, in this world, we will have trouble but we must be persistent and persevering to fight till the end, to get to the 'The Promise Land'.
SO DON'T DIE ON THE PROCESS
SURPASS PAIN AND EMERGE STRONGER
REMEMBER, THERE'S STILL MORE
GOD'S PROMISES AWAITS
♥♥♥
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