The Hurt That Helps
THE HURT THAT HELPS
Read Romans 8:18-23, 28.
Benjamin cried loudly as his mother led him into the doctor’s examining room. Benjamin’s sister Lisa said, “Don’t cry. You haven’t even gotten your shot yet!”
“I don’t wanna get shot!” cried the little boy.
When the nurse came, Benjamin screamed. “You’ll feel a little prick,” the nurse said, “but it will be over soon.” Before Benjamin could give another yell, the nurse had finished.
Benjamin walked out to the car with a big smile. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” asked Lisa.
Benjamin shook his head. “Not so bad,” he said. “But I still don’t like shots. They hurt!”
“We know, honey,” said Mom. “But the hurt doesn’t last long, and the medicine in the shot keeps you healthy. If you didn’t get shots, you might get sick and hurt for a long time.”
Lisa watched her brother play with a toy car. “Someday he’ll be glad he got the ‘hurt,’ won’t he, Mom?”
“I’m sure he will,” Mom said. “And that’s a good lesson for you and me. If we go through hard times, we may wonder if God really cares about us. But all of our experiences—even pain and sadness—are for our good and God’s glory. If we look at things from His point of view, we’ll think about our troubles in a different way.”
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is it hard to be patient when you’re not feeling well? Or when things just aren’t going well? Perhaps God has something to teach you, or He may want you to be an example of His love. Maybe He wants to clean some sin from your life or to protect you from an even greater danger in the future. Whatever His purposes are, you will find peace and joy when you fully submit to Him. He knows best!
TO MEMORIZE:
We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:28
TRUST GOD IN ALL SITUATIONS.
From the book
