“PAIN HAPPENS!” (No Pain, No Gain - Part 2)
PEOPEL ARE TYPICALLY NOT FOND OF PAIN, OR EVEN SLIGHT DISCOMFORT.
PAULS PAIN AND HIS GAIN
“because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” —2 COR. 12:7-10
1. PAIN HAPPENS
PAUL DIDN’T GET A PASS FROM PAIN. HE ENDURED AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF PAIN.
PAUL’S “RESUME OF PAIN”
“Are they Christ’s servants? It’s insane to say it, but I’m a far better one. I’ve done much more work, been in prison many more times, been beaten more severely, and have faced death more often. Five times the Jewish leaders had me beaten with 39 lashes; three times Roman officials had me beaten with clubs. Once people tried to stone me to death; three times I was shipwrecked, and I drifted on the sea for a night and a day. Because I’ve traveled a lot, I’ve faced dangers from raging rivers, from robbers, from my own people, and from other people. I’ve faced dangers in the city, in the open country, on the sea, and from believers who turned out to be false friends. Because I’ve had to work so hard, I’ve often gone without sleep, been hungry and thirsty, and gone without food and without proper clothes during cold weather. Besides these external matters, I have the daily pressure of my anxiety about all the churches. When anyone is weak, I’m weak too. When anyone is caught in a trap, I’m also harmed.” — 2 COR. 11:23-29 (GW)
MULTIPLE IMPRISONMENTS
BEATINGS
FLOGGINGS
CANINGS
LIFE-THREATENING EXPERIENCES
A STONING
SHIPWRECKS
A “NIGHT AND A DAY” FLOATING IN THE OPEN SEA
GONE WITHOUT FOOD
GONE WITHOUT CLOTHING
GONE WITHOUT SLEEP
GONE WITHOUT FRIENDS
CHASED BY BANDITS & INFURIATED RELIGIOUS LEADERS
TEMPTATION
ANXIETY OVER HIS YOUNG CHURCHES
NOW, THERE WAS A “THORN IN THE FLESH.”
PAUL ASKED GOD TO REMOVE THE PAIN
“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.” — ACTS 19:11-12
PAUL ASKED AGAIN. AND AGAIN. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS PAUL PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS TO ASK GOD FOR A MIRACLE OF HIS OWN.
THE PAIN STILL HAPPENED! THE PAIN DIDN’T GO AWAY.
HERE’S THE QUESTION: WILL YOU FIND THE POSITIVES IN YOUR PAIN?
PAUL DID, AND YOU CAN, TOO.
2. PAIN HAS A PURPOSE
“Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh…” — 2 COR. 12:7
PAUL CONCLUDED FOR HIMSELF THAT HIS “THORN” WAS MEANT TO KEEP HIM FROM BECOMING CONCEITED ABOUT HIS MIRACULOUS LIFE AND MINISTRY.
POSITIVE PURPOSES FROM PAUL’S PAIN
PUAL AND SILAS IN PHILIPPI
“One day when we were going to the place of prayer, a female servant met us. She was possessed by an evil spirit that told fortunes. She made a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes. She used to follow Paul and shout, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God. They’re telling you how you can be saved.’ She kept doing this for many days. Paul became annoyed, turned to the evil spirit, and said, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!’
As Paul said this, the evil spirit left her. When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them to the authorities in the public square. In front of the Roman officials, they said, ‘These men are stirring up a lot of trouble in our city. They’re Jews, and they’re advocating customs that we can’t accept or practice as Roman citizens.’
The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered the guards to beat them with sticks. After they had hit Paul and Silas many times, they threw them in jail and ordered the jailer to keep them under tight security. So the jailer followed these orders and put Paul and Silas into solitary confinement with their feet in leg irons.
Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, a violent earthquake shook the foundations of the jail. All the doors immediately flew open, and all the prisoners’ chains came loose.
The jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open. Thinking the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul shouted as loudly as he could, ‘Don’t hurt yourself! We’re all here!’
The jailer asked for torches and rushed into the jail. He was trembling as he knelt in front of Paul and Silas. Then he took Paul and Silas outside and asked, ‘Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved?’
They answered, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will be saved.’ They spoke the Lord’s word to the jailer and everyone in his home.
At that hour of the night, the jailer washed Paul and Silas’ wounds. The jailer and his entire family were baptized immediately. He took Paul and Silas upstairs into his home and gave them something to eat. He and his family were thrilled to be believers in God.
In the morning the Roman officials sent guards who told the jailer, ‘You can release those men now.’
The jailer reported this order to Paul by saying, ‘The officials have sent word to release you. So you can leave peacefully now.’
But Paul told the guards, ‘Roman officials have had us beaten publicly without a trial and have thrown us in jail, even though we’re Roman citizens. Now are they going to throw us out secretly? There’s no way they’re going to get away with that! Have them escort us out!’
The guards reported to the officials what Paul had said. When the Roman officials heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were afraid. So the officials went to the jail and apologized to Paul and Silas. As the officials escorted Paul and Silas out of the jail, they asked them to leave the city.” — ACTS 16:16-39 (GW)
PEARL HARBOR AND 9/11
PAIN MOBILIZED AN ENTIRE NATION TO TAKE THE ACTIONS IT NEEDED TO TAKE. IN BOTH OF THOSE CASES, THE PAIN OF GREAT LOSS CLOUDS THE VISION OF PAIN’S PURPOSE.
PERSONAL PAIN
IN THE MIDST OF THE SUFFERING, IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO FIND THE PURPOSE OF OUR PAIN, AND TO CELEBRATE THAT PURPOSE.
DISCOVERING THE PURPOSE
IN THE MIDST OF PAIN, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR FAITH TO MATURE. 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 TRUST YOU TO HAVE A PURPOSE IN IT.”
JOSEPH’S PERSPECTIVE
THERE WAS A TIME IN HIS LIFE WHEN EVERY ANGLE OF LIFE SHOWED NOTHING BUT PAIN.
SOLD BY HIS OWN BROTHERS
BETRAYED BY AN EMPLOYER’S WIFE
FORGOTTEN BY FRIENDS IN A PRISON
IGNORED BY THE GOD WHO ONCE HAD PROMISED HIM A POSITION OF LEADERSHIP AND POWER.
JOSEPH SPENT AROUND 10-15 YEARS IN PAIN. WE CAN TELL THE STORY IN A MINUTE OR TWO, BUT FOR JOSEPH, TIME WAS MOVING IN AGONIZING, PAINFUL SLOWNESS.
AS IT TURNED OUT, GOD WAS VERY MUCH AT WORK, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAIN.
IN THE COURTS OF EGYPT
IN THE WEATHER PATTERNS THAT CIRCLED THE GLOBE
IN HIS BROTHERS’ LIVES
MOST IMPORTANTLY, GOD WAS WORKING ON JOSEPH’S OWN HEART, TESTING AND PROBING AND FORMING A YOUNG MAN WHO SIMPLY WOULD NOT WAVER FROM HIS FAITH IN GOD, EVEN IF LIFE TOOK HIM TO THE BOTTOM OF THE DUNGEON, OR THE HEIGHT OF POWER AND PROSPERITY.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT. AS GOD WORKED, THE WAITING WAS HARD FOR JOSEPH … BITTERLY HARD.
THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES FOR ANY OF US. PAIN HAPPENS. FOR THOSE WHO WILL DARE SEARCH FOR PAIN’S PURPOSE, YOU MAY ALSO FIND POWER THROUGH YOUR PAIN.
3. PAIN HAS A POWER
PAUL RECEIVES A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE LORD. THE RED-LETTER MOMENT:
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” — 2 COR. 12:9
PAUL DIDN’T HEAR FROM THE LORD VERY OFTEN. ACCORDING TO MOST SCHOLARS’ TIME-LINES:
JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED ABOUT A.D. 30.
PAUL WAS SAVED ABOUT FIVE YEARS LATER ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS. (ACTS 9:3-5)
JESUS TOLD PAUL TO TAKE THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES (ACTS 22:17-18), AN INSTRUCTION THAT REPRESENTED A MAJOR SHIFT IN MISSIONS AND IN PAUL’S PERSONAL LIFE.
AT LEAST SIXTEEN YEARS PASSED BEFORE PAUL HAD ANOTHER SUCH RECORDED EXPERIENCE.
TWO MIRACULOUSLY-PERSONAL ENCOUNTERS OCCURRED WITHIN SIXTEEN WEEKS (MAYBE), AND NOT ANOTHER ONE FOR SIXTEEN YEARS!
AFTER THAT IT WAS ANOTHER SIX YEARS, AT LEAST, BEFORE THE NEXT OCCURANCE
ACCORDING TO THE RECORD OF ACTS, THERE WAS NEVER ANOTHER ONE.
IT’S FAIR TO SAY THAT FOR MOST OF PAUL’S PAIN, JESUS DIDN’T SHOW UP.
PETER, THE NATURAL LEADER OF THE POST-PENTECOST CHURCH, HAD ONLY TWO SUCH EXPERIENCES, ACCORDING TO LUKE’S HISTORY.
STEPHEN ALSO HAD A MIRACULOUS APPEARANCE FROM THE LORD, BUT ONLY AT THE LAST MOMENT, AS HE PREPARED TO DIE.
NONE OF THESE NEW TESTAMENT HEROES HAD A PERSONAL APPEARANCE FROM THE LORD DURING A BEATING, SCOURGING, OR ARREST. THEY MUST HAVE SUFFERED A GREAT DEAL IN RELATIVE SILENCE, AND THEY MUST HAVE WONDERED MANY TIMES WHY GOD WOULD ALLOW IT. PAIN HAPPENED!
WHEN PAUL KEPT ASKING FOR HIS “THORN” TO BE REMOVED, HE GOT A DIRECT LESSON IN PAIN’S POWER FROM THE LORD HIMSELF.
ACCORDING TO 2 COR. 12:7-10 PAUL DECIDED HE WAS FINE WITH THE PAIN. IF CHRIST’S POWER WAS UPON HIM IN THE PAIN, THEN HE WOULD RATHER HAVE THE STRENGTH OF CHRIST THAN HIS OWN WEAKNESS.
PAUL SAID “WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG,” AND THAT’S THE POWER OF PAIN.
THERE IS SOME PAIN SO GREAT, IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE TO BEAR. IN THAT PLACE, ONLY GOD CAN MEET THE NEED, OR HEAL THE HEART.
THE POWER OF PAIN? LIKE NOTHING ELSE, IT CAN INTRODUCE US TO THE POWER OF GOD. BUT THE LESSON IS SO DIFFICULT, THE ONLY WAY ANY OF US WOULD DISCOVER IT IS THAT GOD ALLOWS PAIN TO BE A PART OF OUR LIVES.
PAIN HAPPENS. PAIN HAS A PURPOSE. PAIN HAS A POWER.
PEARLS AND PAIN
A PEARL BEGINS AS A GRAIN OF SAND. THAT TINY LITTLE IRRITANT SLIPS INSIDE THE TIGHT SEAL OF AN OYSTER’S SHELL, AND IMMEDIATELY CAUSES DISCOMFORT. WITH NO WAY TO EXPEL THE GRAIN OF SAND, WITH NO WAY TO EASE THE PAIN, THE OYSTER COATS THE SAND WITH A LAYER OF THE INNER LINING OF ITS SHELL TO MAKE THE SAND SMOOTH. THIS STILL DOES NOT EASE THE OYSTER'S SUFFERING. AGAIN AND AGAIN THE OYSTER COATS THE SAND, BUT ALL THE ATTEMPTS TO GET RID OF THE IRRITANT HAVE LITTLE EFFECT. AS FAR AS AN OYSTER IS CONCERNED, WHAT WE CALL A “PEARL” IS NOTHING MORE THAN GREAT SUFFERING. BUT ONE DAY THE OYSTER IS FISHED FROM THE WATER AND OPENED. THE GEM INSIDE HAS AMAZING BEAUTY AND HOLDS GREAT VALUE – ALL BECAUSE THE OYSTER HAD GREAT SUFFERING.
THE 12 GATES OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
“The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.” — REV 21:21
HEAVENS GATES ARE MADE OF PEARLS. IT’S THE SUFFERING OF OUR SAVIOR THAT ALLOWS THE GATE TO BE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE … AND MORE THAN LIKELY, ALL WHO ENTER THOSE PRICELESS GATES WILL HAVE ALSO KNOWN THE PERSONAL COST OF GREAT SUFFERING.