Session 25

There can be purpose even in the pain

From Chasing Purpose: A 27-Day Devotional

It’s a struggle to believe God is for us when we’re drowning in pain. Even Jesus felt abandoned in the midst of His suffering, saying, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

The refrains of God being a good God can sound hollow when our hearts and lives are broken.

The suffering that’s not transformed by God is destructive. It leads us away from Him and into despair. But if we’ll go to God with our pain, not only will He comfort us, He can work miracles with it. He can transform our greatest pain into our most significant triumph.

Paul is a great example of how God redeems suffering. Paul experienced never-ending hardships and persecution (2 Corinthians 11:22-33). But, his suffering produced an internal and eternal harvest.

Suffering allowed Paul to experience God’s power in ways he couldn’t otherwise, it gave him deeper compassion for others, and it allowed him to be part of God’s work on earth (2 Corinthians 1:5-9).

Understanding that suffering has a purpose doesn’t always help us persevere through it. Thankfully, though, Jesus showed us what to do. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross … and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2, NIV 84).

Jesus overcame His suffering, so we can overcome ours. As we keep our focus on Jesus, He comforts us through our suffering, allows us to experience His presence in ways we otherwise wouldn’t, and uses it for good in ways we can’t imagine.

Reflect:

• Are you in a time of suffering now? What’s one way you can keep your focus on Jesus?
  
• Think back to the hard times you’ve been through before this. What’s one way you’ve seen God bring good out of a situation that wasn’t good?