How is pain good for me? What can I learn from it? - Pain - TouchPoints

Psalm 51:17The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

Lamentations 1:20Lord, see my anguish! My heart is broken and my soul despairs, for I have rebelled against you.

Joel 2:13“Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.

2 Corinthians 7:8-11I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. . . . For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation.

James 4:9Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.

Pain can be redemptive. It may be an effective tool that God uses to soften our stubborn heart long enough to get our attention. Your broken heart then can lead you to God through the recognition, confession and repentance of sin.

John 11:14-15So he [Jesus] told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”

2 Corinthians 12:8-10Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Pain can reveal God’s power. Paul, Lazarus’ sisters, and Jesus’ disciples all were taken through the lessons of suffering. Pain is sometimes a symptom of a weakness in your life, which might be no fault of your own. But God’s power works best through our weakness. Let God work through your weakness so that your pain can showcase his power.

Matthew 11:28Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 15:21-28Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.” . . . she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!” . . . “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.

Romans 8:26The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

Hebrews 4:15-16This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

1 Peter 4:19If you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.

Pain can bring us closer to God when we turn to him in simple, shameless, persistence with our hurt.

Romans 5:3-4We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.

James 1:2-4When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

Pain can strengthen our character by testing our faith in God and our ability to endure faithfully through troublesome situations. God doesn’t allow pain, challenges, and trials into our lives to cause us to fail but to bring about significant growth.

Job 16:1-3Job spoke again: “I have heard all this before. What miserable comforters you are! Won’t you ever stop blowing hot air? What makes you keep on talking?”

Romans 12:15Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.

2 Corinthians 1:4, 6He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. . . . Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer.

Pain equips us to comfort others. During painful occasions take note of those who represent God in comforting you and those who persist in leaning on their own wisdom. Remembering how God comforted you in the midst of your pain will help you extend the same care to others.

Hebrews 12:11No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

Painful discipline can help us make right choices in the future. Ask God to help you see what he might teach you in even the most trying situations.

Job 6:10“At least I can take comfort in this: Despite the pain, I have not denied the words of the Holy One.”

Pain can test and prove your commitment to God. Trust doesn’t mean much when there are no challenges or difficulties in which to exercise it.

Romans 8:18-19What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:17Our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

1 Thessalonians 4:14Since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

Revelation 7:15-17That is why they stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his Temple. And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter. They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Revelation 21:4He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.

Pain sparks the anticipation of the return of Jesus and our eternal life with him. The healthiest worldview includes an eternal destination.