Hurt

Pierre Renoir was a famous French artist who was known for his paintings, mostly depicting family life. But there was one disease that tormented this gifted artist -- he had arthritis that plagued him to the tip of his fingers. Each brushstroke forcing a grimace to his face... It took him a long time to finish one masterful work of art. One of his friends urged him to stop painting and focus on his health. Renoir kept going... even though it hurt.  

For so many... pain is very real.   Sometimes it comes from a physical condition...other times it’s emotional scarring... relationship damage... poor choices... or even self-inflicted loathing or pity.  In any case, it hurts.  Badly.  But one thing I’ve found in all my years of ministry... pain precedes progress.  What we see as a hindrance...a barrier... God allows into our lives so that we can develop the necessary skills and character to become an overcomer... a person who knows what they’ve been through so they don’t have to be scared about what’s coming.  

If you are hurting right now as you read this, hold on.  Don’t quit.  I know it hurts.  But I also know this... breakthrough is coming.  Pain is temporary...God is permanent.  He’s not going to give up on you and you are going to be different as a result of your perseverance.   

Our Deepest Hurts

Isaac Brown looks like any other five year old boy.   He’s learning to read, do basic math, and all of the other things a boy his age would do.  But all is not what it seems…  because Isaac lacks what so many of us take for granted… the ability to feel pain.  He can unflinchingly touch a hot stove, break a bone without knowing it, or step on broken glass.  He knows that when he sees blood, it’s not a good thing… and he needs to seek help.   This extremely rare genetic condition, if not kept under watchful eye, could lead to accidental death or disfigurement due to the lack of a built-in survival mechanism.

Ironically, many in the world envy his circumstances…. they would love to go 24 hours without a single bit of pain.  And not just physical pain… people want to block out emotional and relational hurt as well.  What they fail to realize is that pain is useful.  When we touch a hot stove, the nerve endings signal the brain to remove the hand… thus preserving the skin and our health.  That pain has a purpose.   And no matter how badly you hurt today… yours does too.  Maybe you find yourself going through some other type of pain… a breakup… a loss… a memory of someone who used to abuse you… I want to challenge you to think of that pain differently today. James tells us in Chapter 1, verse 2, that our pain should be a source of joy.  Joy?  We should be happy when things hurt?  Why?  Because we know three things:  God will walk with us through that pain, we will grow as a result of hurting, and that our experience will help others in similar situations in the future.  So today, don’t just wish for the pain to subside… ask God to help you leverage it for growth… knowing that it is through our deepest hurts that our greatest and most life-changing lessons are learned.  

The Power of Pain

Isaac Brown looks like any other five year old boy.   He’s learning to read, do basic math, and all of the other things a boy his age would do.  But all is not what it seems…  because Isaac lacks what so many of us take for granted… the ability to feel pain.  He can unflinchingly touch a hot stove, break a bone without knowing it, or step on broken glass.  He knows that when he sees blood, it’s not a good thing… and he needs to seek help.   This extremely rare genetic condition, if not kept under watchful eye, could lead to accidental death or disfigurement due to the lack of a built-in survival mechanism.

Ironically, many in the world envy his circumstances…. they would love to go 24 hours without a single bit of pain.  And not just physical pain… people want to block out emotional and relational hurt as well.  What they fail to realize is that pain is useful.  When we touch a hot stove, the nerve endings signal the brain to remove the hand… thus preserving the skin and our health.  That pain has a purpose.   And no matter how badly you hurt today… yours does too.  Maybe you find yourself going through some other type of pain… a breakup… a loss… a memory of someone who used to abuse you… I want to challenge you to think of that pain differently today. James tells us in Chapter 1, verse 2, that our pain should be a source of joy.  Joy?  We should be happy when things hurt?  Why?  Because we know three things:  God will walk with us through that pain, we will grow as a result of hurting, and that our experience will help others in similar situations in the future.  So today, don’t just wish for the pain to subside… ask God to help you leverage it for growth… knowing that it is through our deepest hurts that our greatest and most life-changing lessons are learned.