Power In the Pain

Pain is GONNA happen, so why do we act surprised when it does? If we could learn from Paul, we’d find purpose in our pain. After the resurrection, Paul endured a LOT of pain, for him the struggle was real, but in 2 Cor. 12:7, Paul describes his pain as a thorn in his flesh to keep him grounded; to keep him from getting conceited about his miraculous life and ministry.

Discover the purpose in your pain. There is an opportunity for faith maturity that could accelerate your Christian growth like nothing else. It takes a tremendous step of faith to pray to a God who allows the suffering and say, “God, I don’t know the purpose of this pain, but I want to learn from it, so I trust there’s purpose and that You’re going to show me.”

Pain has power. 2 Cor. 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” If God lives inside of us, and He is made stronger in our weakness, then we are made stronger in our weakness as well. The most beautiful story of purpose and power from pain is the oyster and the pearl. A pearl begins as a very tiny piece of sand, an irritant for the oyster. As a defense mechanism, the oyster secretes a fluid to coat the irritant. Layer, upon layer, the oyster endures this invasion, sometimes up to four years, but the end result is a most precious stone, sought after by many, even our Heavenly Father.

Revelation tells us that the gates to Heaven are made of pearls, but it wasn’t the oyster’s pain that produced them…it was the pain that Jesus endured to fulfill His destiny; to fulfill God’s purpose. Joy and suffering don’t normally go together, but as believers, we must endure our suffering, as Christ endured, and consider it as pure joy, having confidence that one day, we will enter those beautiful gates of pearl. There is power in your pain!