No Pain in Vain
Feels so defeated lately.
It’s not just about things not going as planned—it’s a series of disappointments. And you know what hurts the most? When it comes from the people closest to you, the ones you always defend (belain) and would take a bullet for (bela-belain).
Does it hurt? Of course. I can only recall one other time in my life, maybe 15 years ago, when I cried out to God for weeks and months, asking why things had to happen the way they did.
“I’m not a bad person,” I tell God. “I know everything is within Your control, so why are You letting these things happen to me?”
And it’s not just a one-time thing—it’s a cycle of pain, hurt, and disappointment, one after another. Despite knowing His sovereignty and that He works all things for good, I still find myself asking Him, “Why?”
“You want me to learn something from this? Okay.”
So, I tried to make sense of it. I’ve learned that God always uses pain for a purpose. He uses it to make us move.
In 1 Samuel 9:3, Saul lost his father’s donkeys, which led him on a journey where he eventually met Samuel and was anointed as king of Israel. If the donkeys—something valuable—hadn’t gone missing, Saul wouldn’t have gone looking for them. He would have likely remained in his rich father’s house, living a comfortable life.
In 1 Kings 17:7, God allowed the brook at Kerith to dry up so Elijah wouldn’t stay there, enjoying the comfort of drinking from it and eating the food brought by ravens.
God uses pain to push us out of our comfort zone and into the growth zone.
There is no growth in the comfort zone, and there is no comfort in the growth zone.
Pastor Rick Warren put it wisely,
“God sometimes allows pain in our lives because we won’t change until the pain exceeds our fear of change. He uses pain to get our attention and then moves us toward His purpose.”
It may eventually lead to an anointing, like Saul’s, or to being a blessing, like Elijah was to the widow in Zarephath.
After all, pain in God’s hands is never in vain.
I still don’t know what His plan is for me in all this, but one thing is clear—He’s been getting more of my attention and time than usual. Again, Pastor Rick Warren said,
“God would rather have you in contact and angry than distant and apathetic.”
How true that is. And I’m grateful He did that.
And oh, being hurt by those closest to you? Didn’t Jesus experience the same?
Judas betrayed Him.
Peter denied Him.
Thomas doubted Him.
His inner circle a.k.a Peter-James-John abandoned Him in His time of need in Gethsemane.
The pain we feel? The hurt that cuts deep? Jesus knows exactly how it feels.
Stay close to Him. He understands. And He will never, ever leave you alone.
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30)
