I
iluvmybabies
Guest
Shouts in Pain
Pain is the great equalizer and common denominator for us all. Like or not if you’re still alive, pain is a part of life. Whether it’s physical, emotional or relational, pain hurts and it usually leaves some sort of a mark. But like anything else, even our pain can be used by God to mark us for good. When it comes, instead of just feeling the hurt and wasting what God may be saying and doing, see it as an opportunity to grow and bless others.
“C.S. Lewis said that God whispers to us in our joys, speaks to us in our conscience, and shouts to us in our pain. In our joys, it is as
though He is whispering in a crowded auditorium of His immense, outrageous love for us—but we can’t hear. We’re too busy. We’re
too enmeshed in our lives. He tries again to speak to us through our conscience, but we don’t slow down enough to listen. Our
hearing aid is on low because we’re engaged with so many things. Without purposeful listening the communication process is not
complete. But the Hound of heaven is persistent in His love and concern, so He shouts….through pain. He finally has our attention.”1
Has God been shouting in your direction lately? Perhaps your pain has been God’s covert plan to get your attention about something.
Why? Because He likes to torment us like little voodoo dolls and laugh at our pain? No way! Because He’s paying us back, pain for
pain for the sinful things we’ve done? Not on your life! That’s not God’s style. Thankfully, even in our pain there is always a reason for everything God does.
Maybe He wants to show you that you have more power in your weakness than in your strength. In II Corinthians, Paul tells us of his
physical “thorn” and what he learned about pain: “Three different times I begged God to make me well again. Each time he said,
‘No. But I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people.’ Now I am glad to boast about how weak I am;
I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities; for when I am weak, then
I am strong—the less I have, the more I depend on him.” 2
Maybe He wants to use your pain to prepare you to help someone else. In the same book, Paul shares another perspective on pain.
“What a wonderful God we have—he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so
wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us.” 3
It’s possible that as you sit and read this, you are in some sort of pain. Before you curse it and blame God for it, stop for a minute and ask yourself what God may be saying to you in your pain. God never does anything arbitrarily. Whispering and speaking may not have gotten through. So now He shouts. There’s something He wants to tell you. Are you listening?
Pain is the great equalizer and common denominator for us all. Like or not if you’re still alive, pain is a part of life. Whether it’s physical, emotional or relational, pain hurts and it usually leaves some sort of a mark. But like anything else, even our pain can be used by God to mark us for good. When it comes, instead of just feeling the hurt and wasting what God may be saying and doing, see it as an opportunity to grow and bless others.
“C.S. Lewis said that God whispers to us in our joys, speaks to us in our conscience, and shouts to us in our pain. In our joys, it is as
though He is whispering in a crowded auditorium of His immense, outrageous love for us—but we can’t hear. We’re too busy. We’re
too enmeshed in our lives. He tries again to speak to us through our conscience, but we don’t slow down enough to listen. Our
hearing aid is on low because we’re engaged with so many things. Without purposeful listening the communication process is not
complete. But the Hound of heaven is persistent in His love and concern, so He shouts….through pain. He finally has our attention.”1
Has God been shouting in your direction lately? Perhaps your pain has been God’s covert plan to get your attention about something.
Why? Because He likes to torment us like little voodoo dolls and laugh at our pain? No way! Because He’s paying us back, pain for
pain for the sinful things we’ve done? Not on your life! That’s not God’s style. Thankfully, even in our pain there is always a reason for everything God does.
Maybe He wants to show you that you have more power in your weakness than in your strength. In II Corinthians, Paul tells us of his
physical “thorn” and what he learned about pain: “Three different times I begged God to make me well again. Each time he said,
‘No. But I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people.’ Now I am glad to boast about how weak I am;
I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities; for when I am weak, then
I am strong—the less I have, the more I depend on him.” 2
Maybe He wants to use your pain to prepare you to help someone else. In the same book, Paul shares another perspective on pain.
“What a wonderful God we have—he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so
wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us.” 3
It’s possible that as you sit and read this, you are in some sort of pain. Before you curse it and blame God for it, stop for a minute and ask yourself what God may be saying to you in your pain. God never does anything arbitrarily. Whispering and speaking may not have gotten through. So now He shouts. There’s something He wants to tell you. Are you listening?
And they love going out there and helping others in need, it’s very interesting…and he doesn’t stop praising the word of GOD.