Memory Verse: “…Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?…” Job 2:10 We’ll continue yesterday’s topic by answering the following question. What To Do When We Go Through Pain?
- Your thinking can make you sink or soar– sink into depression or soar into out-of-this-world joy. So, work hard on not letting corrupt thinking destroy you. “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does… We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 NIV
- Focus on others, not you. “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35 NIV
- Avoid loneliness, allow friends to help. Don’t stay disconnected, that’s when Satan will try to get you to start your own pity party. Let caring people know what you’re going through. We’re not meant to go through struggles alone. “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12b, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 NIV
- Pray and be patient. Pray alone, pray with others, pray for your situation, pray for others. I made it a habit to pray for the hard times even during the sunny days. When you’re in the tunnel of distress it’s hard for us to find the words to pray, but talk openly with God anyway about your pain. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12 NIV
- Don’t be fooled by appearance. I had an acquaintance call me once or twice a year to share her frustrations and disappointments with me. Then months would go by, and the phone call would repeat itself with the same old purpose. The one tagline I would always hear is: ‘Naty you don’t understand, because you have no problems. You seem happy. Everything seems to be falling into place for you.’ Reality is, we all struggle sooner or later, on different levels. We’re not going through a competition, but through a workout session to refine our faith muscles. “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
- Don’t lose hope. “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” Jeremiah 17:7, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7 NIV Maybe you feel alone, punished by God, and without resources. Continue to put your trust in Him, even if nothing makes sense right now. Joseph did. He was betrayed by his brothers, forcefully removed from his family and comfort zone, accused of wrong doing, punished because he was a man of integrity. Even if it felt like he made one step forward and three steps backward, God was with him each step of the way. God’s silence doesn’t mean His lack of presence. “When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did..” Genesis 39:3, “the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden” Genesis 39:21 Joseph was a young boy of character, who turned into a man of greater character chiseled by God. Chiseling hurts, but the master piece will be of great worth.
Take time to watch this video put together by the Skit Guys – God’s Chisel Remastered. I hope it will encourage you: http://God’s Chisel Remastered
Things I need to work on:
- Learn and apply the memory verse
- Encourage someone this week that is going through difficulties, no matter how I feel
- Embrace hardship and not waste it away (easier said, than done)
- Accept that God does what He pleases, even if it doesn’t make sense to us