Suffering – Your Pain Has Purpose - Knowing God's Presence in the Dark Seasons of Life

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV)

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18, ESV)

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6, ESV)

In science class as a child, I learned that a butterfly emerges from a chrysalis, whereas a moth develops within a cocoon. We usually think of this in simplistic terms: caterpillar goes to sleep, wings sprout, chrysalis pops open, butterfly stretches for a while. Then, one flap, two, and it takes to the breeze. But to go from ground-dwelling to airborne takes some doing. As it turns out, we might say that a caterpillar melts.

After snuggling into its little case, the caterpillar releases digestive enzymes that reduce its body to a sticky goo of nutrients and clumps of specialized cells. It literally dissolves most of itself here and there during the process. From this broth, stewing in a thin case suspended between earth and sky, winged creatures arise to ride the winds.

But like the caterpillar’s dramatic change into something else, we must go through a process to become what God intends us to be. It is not easy, this metamorphosis of ours. We melt through the hurt, the dying desires, and the broken promises. God himself melts us. He dissolves those things that keep us heavy-anchored. He promises that we could do more than crawl, if only we stay put and allow him to do that deepest work – that most important work, when we are locked away in the darkness and stillness of our own hearts. We wait. Watch. Abide. We feel forgotten. It could seem that we are standing still. Or perhaps it looks like, though we are living faithfully, God is moving us farther away from what we believe he has called us to do.

We struggle in that place between heaven and earth, knowing there is more, but not always understanding that to fly will require a backward step, one that breaks us of our own self-will and self-reliance. To become like Christ is to become less like us. Think of how you view the movement in your own life right now. Does it seem like you are moving in the opposite direction despite your faithfulness? For an arrow to move forward from the hand of the archer, it must be drawn backwards. God may prepare your future launch through your present setback. He is not counting you out; he may just be winding you up.

When you are in chronic pain, whether physical, mental, or emotional, each day seems to be unending. The struggle becomes less of an interruption of the routine and more of the routine itself. Pain seems to suspend time, slowing it to a crawl, and then extracts a moment-by-moment toll. The seconds drag by, mockingly, and you move in slow motion through the hours.

Suffering can be an isolating experience. The Psalmist lamented, “Darkness has become my only companion” (Psalm 88:18). Often, you might feel that the closest thing to you in hurt is the darkness, yet you want to articulate your grief to someone who will listen and understand.

God loves you. God cares. God knows where you are. He is not indifferent to you. He has not forgotten you. He is near. Trust this loving, sovereign God in your darkness.

The way of our increase is through our reduction. The way of our exaltation is only through humility. And the way of the deepest change comes only through the deepest pain. Only when we realize those truths will each of us be willing to pray, “God, melt me,” and trust that he has a purpose, even when we face seasons of what seem like inactivity or even destruction.

Reflection:

1. What life situations do you face currently that weigh on your heart and mind most heavily?
2. How do you usually respond when God makes you wait in your discomfort?
3. Read Philippians 1:6. Name some character traits or spiritual strengths that you have seen God develop in you through times of difficulty.
4. What is one change you will make to take your next step of faith in trusting God in your dark season?