Finding Purpose in Our Pain

 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)

Paul’s encouragement to “glory in our sufferings” probably doesn’t feel much like encouragement. Like me, your initial reaction might be, “Really, Paul???!!!” But it’s important to understand that Paul said this knowing first-hand what it meant to suffer. Beatings, shipwrecks, imprisonment, and starvation were just a few of the hardships Paul experienced and this is exactly why he was able to encourage us this way. While not easy, he knew with the Lord’s help, we can find purpose in our pain.

It’s important to know first of all that God does NOT cause our pain. He doesn’t give us problems to teach us a lesson or punish us. James 1:13 says,

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;

God does NOT tempt or try us. Verse 17 goes on to say:

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

We serve a GOOD God. It’s impossible for Him to test or tempt us because it’s not in His nature. And unlike others, God NEVER changes. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. Sometimes people get angry at God when they go through trials. They blame him for their difficulties. Before I understood who God was, I struggled with this too. I felt angry, hurt, and abandoned by the Lord, but that was a lie from the pit of hell. It wasn’t until I spent enough time with God and got to know who He is that my perspective changed. The enemy loves nothing more than to cause us to believe lies about God. But friends, God is good ALL the time. If you struggle with believing this, I encourage you to spend more time with God so that He can reveal Himself to you personally.  It’s one thing to be told “God is good” but a totally life-changing experience to know the goodness of God for yourself.

God is so good that He’ll even bring good from our pain. If you’re in the midst of pain right now, that may be hard to see, but hold on to Romans 8:28:

 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

What the enemy means for our harm, God will turn around for our good. Our pain has the ability to make us pliable in the hand of a loving Father who will shape us into His beautiful image. Peter explains this in 1 Peter 1:6-9:

 In this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.                                                                                      

Three things that Peter says can come from our suffering are:

1. Genuine faith
2. A life that glorifies God
3. The salvation of our souls

Genuine (true, strong) faith is more valuable than all the gold in the world. It’s the very foundation of our walk with God. The Bible says without faith it’s impossible to please God. We need faith not only to survive but thrive in this world! So many people are depressed and hopeless. The percentage of people on anti-depressants or anti-anxiety meds is staggering. The suicide rates are heartbreaking. Many have placed their faith in the wrong things. Our faith in God is EVERYTHING. Faith is what moves our mountains. Faith enables us to walk in God’s promises and fight the good fight. So when we’re suffering, we can be encouraged knowing that our faith is getting stronger. Peter goes on to say that in this, our lives will glorify God. We become an example to others in how to live a victorious life in Christ. Pain often awakens us to our purpose in Christ which is to point others to Him.

And finally, Peter talks about the salvation of our souls which is the transformation that happens inside of us when we submit to God. Pain has a way of bringing us to a place of brokenness and surrender to God. When we get saved our spirits are brand new but we still have a lot of junk in our souls – our old habits, desires, feelings, and thought patterns. God gave us free will, so it’s our choice to let Him change these things in us and make us more like Him. Sometimes, however, we get so caught up in life we don’t even realize all the junk we have inside until BAM! we get hit with a trial and life as we knew it comes to a standstill. It’s often our pain that forces us to face our issues. We’re forced to be still. It shouldn’t take a trial for us to “be still” but often it does. God wants us to “Be still and know He is God” EVERY day; not just in the bad times. He wants us to listen for His voice and follow His lead ALL the time. This is why when I go through a trial I’ve learned to “be still” and listen for God to speak to me. I ask, “What is the purpose of this pain, God?” What can I learn from it? How can I grow? What do I need to surrender? I understand that while God didn’t cause my pain, I can find purpose in it. I can come out better than I went in and so can you.

James also talked about finding purpose in our pain:

Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.         James 1:2-4

Yet another person encouraging us to rejoice in our trials. This is because joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that produces strength in our lives. Nehemiah 8:10 says: For the joy of the LORD is your strength. When people are terminally ill doctors now instruct them to watch comedy and do things that make them happy because it’s been scientifically proven to bring strength to the body. I love when science proves the Bible, don’t you? Proverbs 17:22 says:

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

While joy gives us strength, despair saps life from us. The enemy wants us to be in this weakened state so we become vulnerable to his attacks. When we rejoice in our trials we’re placing ourselves in a position to receive the  supernatural strength we need to endure.

James also tells us that our trials can produce:

1. Spiritual maturity
2. Inner peace
3. Contentment – lacking NOTHING!

WOW!!! These are some pretty amazing things. It may be hard to get excited while you’re suffering but hold onto these promises. Allow the hope of God to carry you through.

And finally, James makes a very important point in verse 4 which says “let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work in you.” This means we have a choice of how we go through our trials and pain. We can complain. We can blameshift. We can have a pity party. We can make bad decisions. We can be prideful. We can be stubborn and rebellious. Yes, we can do all those things, and we can suffer in vain. The Israelites were supposed to go on a 2 week trip to their promised land but it turned into a 40 year journey that some never completed. They did all of the above and it brought them nothing but misery. We can choose that too, but why would we want to when we can instead find purpose in our pain?

Friend, I know it’s not easy.  You may feel like your pain is too much, that you can’t handle it, but He can. He’s with you. He promises to never leave or forsake you. What you’re dealing with has not taken God by surprise. He promises that when you’re weak, He’ll be your strength. He’s a good God and He promises to work out for good what the enemy meant for your harm. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy WILL come in the morning. He promises that your suffering is not in vain. You will find purpose in your pain.