Don’t waste your pain. God may have allowed pain in your life so that you may comfort others experiencing pain.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Cor. 1:3-4

Isn’t it amazing that God would bring pain to us so that we can comfort others? That almost sounds cruel. It’s like my second daughter scraped her knee and is crying and so I kick my first daughter’s knee so that she would understand her sister’s pain! What kind of cruel dad would do that? But is that what our heavenly Father does?

No. To live in this world is to know pain and suffering. Live long enough in this world, we will lose our loved ones and our bodies will waste away in disease and/or old age. But without God, there is no hope. Pain is a fact of life without meaning or any redeeming value. What good does it do for us or for anyone else when it was ultimately purposeless? Without God that is…

But God is a master at taking something evil and turning it into good. “God works ALL things for the good of those who love Him!” Rom 8:28. That includes our pain and suffering!

Persevere if you are in pain. Trust God that even pain is really for your good. “He who did not spare His own son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him give us all things?” Rom 8:32.

And seek out for those who are also in pain. Sometimes your presence alone can be an encouragement to those who know of your suffering. And your encouraging words would have so much more weight than those who have not known pain and suffering.

If you are not in pain, thank God first but remember those who are. And share in their suffering. That means listening to them, weeping with them, praying with them, and persevering with them. Yes, it will be burdensome. But that’s what love does.

PH