Professor Pain

God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.  C.S. Lewis The Problem of Pain

God's surest way of getting our attention is to hurt us or allow us to be hurt.  Our heartache when handled well teaches us so much about God and our savior Jesus Christ.  Joseph spent a good deal of his time in a pit, in slavery, and in prison, but even he told his brothers that they meant it for bad, but God meant it for good.    God hurt Paul so he wouldn't get prideful.  Scripture tells us Jesus learned obedience through suffering.  Pain is no respecter of persons.  I think it's one of God's greatest means to molding us.  God is interested in far more than your personal happiness.  He wants to make you like Jesus.  Pain will do that for you if received well.  If you're grieving or in pain, don't waste it.  When we don't trust God, when we run away from God in pain, we're wasting His purposes in pain.  Don't waste your grief.  Seek God with all your heart.  I'm not asking you to get God, we're in a lot of trouble if we're able to understand God.  I'm asking you to trust Him anyways.  Constantly, the bible teaches us to glory in our tribulations.  That isn't because we're supposed to like pain, it's because pain will produce character in our lives. 

If you're not in pain, does this mean you should anxiously await your next bout with pain?  I think that's crazy.  It'll come.  Just make sure that right now you're trusting, loving, and worshipping God.  Understand that with Him as your strength His grace will be sufficient for thee.  In the meantime, be thankful.  Love God and love others.