Pain [Unexpected Gifts pt. 3]

Gravetop Church

Main Idea: While we naturally would try to avoid any type of pain all together, it is one of the best teachers to humanity. It’s almost like God’s redemptive quality is intertwined within our DNA and consistently uses pain for growth, but at the same time, our brains are still hardwired to initially look at pain as bad.

Today, we’re going to examine the topic of pain by categorizing and expounding on three types of pain. We’re going to talk about the moments in how unfair the unique pains are that we are individually experiencing. We’re going to unpack the pain that comes from the process of healing. And at the end, we’re going to talk about pain used for a purpose.

The reason that this topic is important is because pain is unavoidable, yet we are typically surprised when we are faced with it in our lives. So many people feel like they’re being picked on by God while going through these different pains while, in actuality, God is the One helping them to endure the pain. When we focus on the power and potential of God to redeem pain, we can find the strength to overcome these struggles.

(Ecclesiastes 7:3-4; Romans 8:18; Romans 5:3-4; Hebrews 12:11-13)

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1. Unfair Pain [GOD KNOWS WHEN SOMETHING IS HARDER FOR YOU THAN IT IS FOR OTHERS]

One of the most beautiful aspects about God is the fact that He holds the nature of understanding. Meaning that He knows how things work and function. He also knows why certain things are the way they are. Which means that He knows you to the core of your personhood and identity. He knows when things are genuinely unfair for you, and He knows when something is harder for you than for someone else.

(Genesis 37:23-24; Genesis 39:19-20; Genesis 41:39-40)

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2. Pain Of Healing [HEALING FROM PAIN CAN OFTEN FEEL MORE AGONIZING THAN THE PAIN ITSELF]

For some reason or another, most people view the concept of healing as being similar to that of peace. But the reality is that sometimes the process of healing can be more painful than that of the original pain. Healing from wounds is necessary in order to have the freedom of mobility in your life again, but it’s easy to settle in a state of emotional handicap rather than enduring the pain that comes from putting pressure on the wound.

(Genesis 42:24; Genesis 43:30-31; Genesis 45:1-4)

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3. Pain For Purpose [GOD CAN REDEEM ANY PAIN INTO A MEANINGFUL PURPOSE]

With the perspective of experience, we are able to see nearly every pain that we face as something that was able to help us grow as individuals. It’s so powerful to see the redemption of pain in our lives that it often seems like it was for a reason. While the Bible doesn’t necessarily say that all pain is on purpose, it does lead us to believe that God can turn any pain into a meaningful purpose.

(Genesis 50:19-21; Matthew 11:28-30)

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