On Those Painful Days

No one who is thinking clearly enjoys emotional or physical pain. Some folks suffer an occasional headache or pain somewhere in their body and to be honest, they just can’t wait until it gets better. Other folks like myself deal with painful situations in a chronic way. Pain for some of us can be relentless.

I can testify that what I have quietly shared with dozens of people really is true from my own personal experience. Though I was absolutely confident that my counsel was accurate, there is a difference between telling someone what you know and experiencing it personally. In the quiet moments alone with the Lord I have been once again reassured that painful days are not wasted days. These simple but precious principles have become a blessing to me personally.
Perhaps you or someone that you know will be able to relate to these simple but profound truths.

1. There is a special fellowship or sharing together with the Lord when life hurts (Philippians 3:10).

2. There is an outworking of pain that results in a clearer focus on how short life is and how long is eternity (2 Corinthians 4:17).

3. There is a quiet constant reminder that He is strong, but I am weak (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Learning more about His strength is such a blessing. Being reminded of how weak I am is not pleasant, but it is necessary.

4. There is an assurance that I am not alone in times of pain. In fact, the pain I experience is not unique to me (1 Corinthians 10:13). As I proceed through this time, I know there will be plenty of people with whom I will be able to associate and share (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

5. There is a wonderful sense of security that no matter what the battle experience may be, the Lord really is the Rock that is higher than I (Psalm 61:1-2).

6. There is the knowledge that this is not wasted time. There are lessons in the “He maketh me to lie down” times of my life. (Please help me to learn them quickly, so we don’t have to repeat a lot of these lessons). He is the Lord of schedules which includes the stops as well as the times of going (Psalm 27:14).

7. There is the great joy in knowing that wonderful day is coming closer and closer when the Lord Himself will dwell with us, wiping away all tears from our eyes, and there will be no more pain (Revelation 21:1-4).

-www.michaelpeck.org