Growing Through Pain

You may have wondered why God allows pain to be present in your life. Why doesn’t God let us live happily according to what we have planned and dreamed of? If He is an all-powerful God, why doesn’t He remove the heavy trials and difficult obstacles that stand in our way? 

How can we make peace with pain so that we can rise again and move forward?

If you are currently struggling with pain and thinking of giving up, remember these three things:

1. Pain Makes Us Grow 

Pain can come emotionally or physically. Whatever form it takes, there is no such thing as coincidence or an ‘accident.’ Everything happens by God’s permission and with His knowledge. And believe that He will and is able to sustain us through difficult times.

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. – Psalm 34:18

Around us, there are friends who have physical limitations or were born with physical imperfections. Yet they are still able to function normally with the body parts they have and ignore their limitations.

They use other body parts to replace the function of those that are impaired. For example, some paint with their mouths. Some play music relying only on their hearing, or swim without both hands and feet. Many of them later become successful people, great motivators, and world-class athletes.

It is that very limitation that motivates or ‘forces’ them to strive so they can have abilities equal to those born whole. Weakness is not an excuse for self-pity, but instead becomes the driving force for them to move forward and achieve success.

My brothers and sisters, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. – James 1:2-4 

An old saying goes, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” In other words, pain effectively makes us grow.

If you are experiencing pain, you are being pushed to grow. Perhaps you need to surrender more and depend on God. Or you need to forgive more. It may be that you are being taught and shaped to become humble and not proud. Perhaps God also wants you to draw nearer to Him. 

So, think about this and ask yourself: “In the midst of the pain I am experiencing, in what way does God want me to grow?"

2. Do Not Give Up, God Has Not Given Up on You

In 2 Corinthians 1:8-9, Paul writes about the suffering he and his companions experienced in Asia Minor, “... it was so utterly heavy and unbearable that we despaired ... as though we had been sentenced to death.”

There were times when the trials of life I faced felt too heavy. At that time, my marriage failed and I had to raise my two children. I could not bear the pain. It felt better to die than to live in suffering and bear the shame. Almost every night, I prayed while crying. I was afraid that God would keep testing me again and again. 

But thanks be to God, the Lord has never given up on me and on you! 

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10  

When you are in despair and want to stop fighting; when you want to give up and escape the problem through instant ways that are not in line with God’s will; and are tempted to use illegal drugs or commit suicide, remember that God has never given up on you. 

So why should you give up on yourself?

Though he falls, he will not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand. – Psalm 37:24 

3. God Is Always in Control

Fear, worry, and doubt when experiencing pain are natural and human responses. And sometimes, to avoid pain, we try to take another path or make other plans.

For example, to deal with financial problems, you look for work abroad. Perhaps you plan to go far away so you no longer have to meet the person who hurt your heart. Or you plan to leave God and no longer want to remember His word. You want to be free, you rebel and resist God, because He does not grant your request or rescue you from suffering.

That last response actually does not need to happen if we realize who holds control over our lives.

When the conflict in my marriage still showed no sign of resolution, I began writing down five bad things that I thought would happen to me. Strangely, I believed and was sure that out of those five things, at least one would come true. In the end I realized that not a single one ever happened!

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD. – Isaiah 55:8 

No matter how great our intelligence, how much knowledge we have,  or how great our wisdom is, we will never be able to guess or fully fathom God’s plans. 

Because of that, you do not need to know the details of God’s plan. What you need to know and remember is only this: God always holds control over your life, so there is no need to be afraid. Even if you fall, you will fall into hands that uphold and help, hands that save and give you victory!

God sees and knows what you feel. So, do not give up, because this is your opportunity to grow and move toward a future full of hope. Amen.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for peace and not for disaster, to give you a future full of hope. – Jeremiah 29:11 

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