Purpose Behind Pain

I have made a lot of mistakes in my life.  Some of my mistakes have caused me pain, others have caused my wife pain, even friends and my own kids are affected by some of my mistakes.  Everything I go through (good or bad) affects those around me.  However, the bright side of these trials and tribulations is that I don't go through them alone.  There is also a purpose behind each one.  Although, it may take a long time for me to understand what are God's purposes .  I might also have to come to grips with the fact that I may never understand God's purpose behind my pain.  So, the question that I'm faced with is, am I willing to trust that God's purposes are more important than my comfort or security?

My son has been under some pretty severe spiritual attack over the last few weeks.  He tells us that there are times when he feels a darkness closing in on him at night.  He is also struggling with some thoughts that he can't seem to clear out of his head.  As my wife and I began to try to fight this battle with him, my wife suggested we do a bible study with him while he does his evening treatment.  She suggested we go through 2 Corinthians together and see what God might have to tell us.  As we began our study a few days ago, I was reminded what God tells us about our trials and tribulations.

First of all, He tells us that we WILL have trials and tribulations.  There is no other way of stating this fact.  If I claim to be a Christ follower, and I seek after God with all that is within me, then I WILL face opposition through trials, afflictions and persecution.  Follow with me for a minute...I love movies like the Last Samurai, Braveheart, and Kingdom of Heaven where there is always one man so passionate about what he believes in that he is willing to risk his own life in order that "the cause" may be achieved.  As I watch those movies, I feel God trying ignite that kind of passion inside me.  God tells me, each time I watch one of those kinds of movies, that the causes these men were fighting for do not even compare to the cause of Christ.  If there were ever a cause to be that passionate about, God's sacrifice and love would be it.  In essence, God is telling me to fight my battles with the same passion and heart because He is more than worth it.

The good news about my trials is that I don't go through them alone.  2 Corinthians 1:4 tells me that "He comforts us in all our afflictions."  Whenever we go through tough times, we always ask God questions.  Why did this loved one die so suddenly?  Why did the doctor have to tell me that?  Where were you when this happened?  And so on and so on....  The good news is that God is big enough to hear our cries of pain and anguish because He is the God of comfort.  The thing I have come to realize is that if I don't use the pain, suffering, anguish, and tribulations that I've gone through to encourage someone else, then, I experienced those things for no reason.  For example, my son has Cystic Fibrosis.  Gelaina, my wife, and I have been through many trials and tribulation with him.  However, we have seen God use this horrible disease to bring Himself glory on so many occasions.  We have had the opportunity to be interviewed on TV and radio and share about how our faith, our family, our church, and our God have helped us through hard times.  We also pray on a daily basis that our son will be used in God-sized way to spread the gospel, because Myres has a platform that most people don't, he has CF.  God is using the pain and sorrow we have experienced over the years to encourage other CF families, nurses, doctors and many more.  Conversely, if we had decided that we would just wallow in our own self pity, we would have missed so many opportunities to share our faith.  I don't tell you that to shine the spotlight on me or my family, but I tell you that to encourage you to use the things you've been through to show someone else God's love and mercy.  The second half of 2 Corinthians 1:4 says, "...so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God."  Knowing that there is purpose behind pain makes it much easier to endure the daily battle...doesn't it?