Pain is universal.
It does not discriminate based on class, income, education, age, gender or race.
Pain is a part of life -- an essential part of life.
We can't avoid it. We actually need it.
It is a signal, an indicator that something is wrong or something needs to be changed. Pain speaks a universal language that ALL can understand, and forces us to act.
It is the same in our spiritual walk with Christ. Some have misunderstood their new life in Christ and believed they would escape pain or somehow just breeze through it.
Our new nature in Christ equips us to look at pain differently and use it differently than the world, however it does not make us immune to it.
The Bible tells us that even Jesus Christ Himself learned obedience from the things He suffered (sounds like pain to me).
It also graphically accounts His walk to the Cross and the mocking, scorn and abandonment He endured as He obeyed. Some people will leave us, some will mock us as if it's no big deal, and some will offer comfort. Ultimately it is The Lord Himself that is able to comfort us in ways others can't.
As followers of Christ we must not be deceived by the false gospel being preached today. I've heard some preach that if we're enduring pain it's because we have sinned, or we've allowed Satan to do it to us, etc etc. Pain and suffering are part of our journey in this Earth.
Let's get this straight, yes, pain can be brought on by disobeying God's laws, and we can also open doors for the devil to come in through sin (yoga, fornication, adultery, arrogance, pride, etc etc)
However, PAIN is not just about enduring, it's about helping others through the same pain and overcoming. It also not always the result of sin -- remember Job, Joseph and others who God was pruning for GREATER.
We can't pay enough tithes or sow enough seeds to avoid it. We also cannot pray it away (I am not suggesting that prayer does not work, only that it is inevitable).
Remember when Christ was in the Garden of Gethsemane how He prayed that the cup be taken from Him? Nevertheless, He prayed that the will of GOD be done.
Pause.
The Lord could have become bitter, angry, and even resentful towards His Father, but he did not. He knew the ultimate gain would be salvation of mankind and VICTORY over Satan.
David endured pain. Abraham surely did as he awaited his son Isaac. Paul was beaten and jailed on several occasions. Christians endured great affliction. But in every case we see a promotion after they overcame.
You may be thinking "but Christ knew the The Father's plan, we don't know."
This is partially true. Jesus Christ did know the plan of God from the beginning as he stated throughout the Gospels many times.
We also have access to foreknowledge of events in our lives, maybe not as detailed as Christ, but the HOLY SPIRIT is not only comforter, He is the Spirit of Truth.
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." John 16:13 KJV
In the NIV version, The Holy Spirit is described like this:
"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future."
The Lord cares about us and will heal our diseases, broken relationships, broken hearts, ailments and other imperfect parts us us.
Resist the temptation to blame GOD or distance yourself from church or prayer when you are in your darkest hours.
That is when you need HIM the most, to manifest in your life as I AM. He is EVERYTHING we need, truly.
I encourage everyone reading this to use multiple versions of the Bible for understanding. I read the KJV first because it is the original translation, however the Amplified and NIV versions can make it more clear and add more depth to the scriptures.
***If you have any specific question about pain, or need scripture to speak to the mountain of emotional, physical, or mental pain, please email me at chrissy8305@gmail.com***
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