I think all of us have two sides to our personalities: sometimes we are out going and sometimes we like to be alone; sometimes we like classical music and other times we just want to listen to electric guitar; sometimes we like change and sometimes we don’t. Generally speaking I love routine, I don’t like change; however, in my relationship with God I like change for many reasons:
1) The word ‘relationship’ is an active and dynamic word to me. For example, we cannot have a meaningful conversation with someone—and know that person personally–if we keep repeating the same dialogue to them every day.
2) God’s goal for our lives, and it should be our goal too, is to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. And we all know He is perfect and so if we keep growing spiritually every day for the rest of our lives, it would still not be enough to reach His awesome holiness. How about if we don’t even change—if we just continue living our routine lives?!
3) I’ve found that no matter how much I think I know spiritually and how much spiritual wisdom I possess, there is always something deep (or sometimes something that seems so simple but I’ve completely missed) God wants to teach me and reveal about Himself that I didn’t know.
And so I often pray that God makes me uncomfortable, shakes me emotionally and spiritually, and to do whatever it takes to change me or motivate me to seek change…even if it means He sends very painful trials in my life. And He usually honors that prayer and does send painful trials to draw us closer to Him, conform us to the likeness of His Son, teach more about who He is, and glorify Himself through us and our responses to our trials.
Currently, I am in the midst of a very painful trial—and have been for sometime now; it is something I had prayed for few years ago, and so when I went through it some time ago and one day was complaining about it in prayer the Holy Spirit reminded of that prayer I had prayed few years ago (which I had forgotten all about) and I understood that He was just responding to my prayer through this painful trial—as usual He is being faithful by answering my prayer for my own good and His glory. And one day when I see its end, God’s way that is, I will share it with you. I usually don’t like to quote people in my writings—I’d rather quote scripture—but I think those quotes are supported by the Bible’s teachings:
“Whatever brings you to your knees in weakness carries the greatest potential for your personal success and spiritual victory.” (Charles Stanley)
“No one enjoys feeling weak, whether it is emotionally, spiritually or physically. There is something within the human spirit that wants to resist the thought of weakness [or pain]. Many times this is nothing more than our human pride at work. Just as weakness carries a great potential for strength, pride carries an equally great potential for defeat.” (Charles Stanley)
“Adversity is always unexpected and unwelcomed. It is an intruder and a thief, and yet in the hands of God, adversity becomes the means through which His supernatural power is demonstrated.†(Charles Stanley)
“Yieldedness [pain has its very effect way of breaking our self centeredness, disobedience, and self will] and is vital in listening to what He has to say.†(Charles Stanley)
“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” (C.S Lewis)
Do you suffer from an addiction? May be it is a sexual sin, uncontrollable anger, or deep rooted pride? Do you hate the fact that you have not changed for the better—become more like Jesus– in a while? Do you desire God to do His work in your life, to fulfill His purpose in your life? I challenge you to pray asking Him to do whatever it takes–even sending you through very painful trials–to change you, free, heal you, and glorify Himself through your life.
One thought on “God Shouts in Our Pain”
It is amazing how God does His greatest work in our trials.
I agree that we often try to live a comfortable Christian faith. However, in our believe with Jesus Christ, we must be willing to ‘carry our crosses’!