Pain, Suffering, and Joy

What’s your greatest dream? Have you ever taken time to sit down and think about what God’s perfect plan in your life might be? I know I’ve not only thought about what God’s plan might be but sometimes I’ve thought I already know what it is. Sometimes I confuse my plan with God’s perfect plan. In my mind I’ve always thought that God would have me become an unbelievable baseball player who always bows down and gives glory to God first and foremost. I’ve thought that God would use me to bring many people to Christ through simply being a great athlete. I thought this would be the greatest way to communicate the gospel in my life. Something I’ve often wondered about is why God would ever have us go through trials? Why would a God who loves us let us feel hurt and pain? Why would God let others mistreat us?  I’ve really been coming to a place to understand pain and trials in a whole new way lately. God allows pain and trials in our lives for the opportunity of showing everyone around us how great a relationship with Christ really is. The opportunity to be a witness for Christ through hard times is a way more powerful testimony than obtaining worldly success or being a great athlete.

When things are going great in our lives it’s easy to give praise and glory to God. When circumstances are good, so is our God… right? People who aren’t Christians aren’t really impressed by Christians who are wildly successful, famous, and wealthy. They too aspire to have great wealth, achievement, and fame and probably don’t associate God being the reason for those blessings. Because if God were the sole reason for all of those blessings why aren’t all Christians wealthy, famous, and successful?

God allows us to go through pain, trials, insults, unfair circumstances and poor treatment because it’s our greatest platform to show a world that doesn’t believe in God, that God is real! When we are able to find joy through knowing Jesus Christ amidst all these painful circumstances, the impact it has on people who aren’t Christians is unbelievable. When we go completely against human nature and respond in a loving joyful way when we have bad things happen to us, it screams the gospel of Jesus Christ. People who aren’t Christians are dumfounded by how you could possibly be joyful or loving when they think you have no reason to be. When we are able to honor, respect, and love people who dishonor, disrespect, and hate us, it shows a dying world the love of Christ. This is our greatest opportunity for ministry because people have nothing other to attribute our joy and happiness to other than the sole fact of having a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Why in the world would Paul say this in the middle of a trial in his life,

Three 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. -2 Corinthians 12:8-10

Why would someone ever take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles?? Because Paul knew that these things were a great opportunity for people to truly see the joy that comes from knowing Jesus Christ. It allowed people to see that his hope and reason for living didn’t come from his circumstances but came from knowing Jesus.

Pain, trials, and insults have always been something I’ve run from and tried to avoid my entire life. I’ve been scared to be hurt and I’ve been scared to feel pain. I’m really praying to be able to use these opportunities in the future whenever I’m faced with them for the glory of God. I also pray that if you are a Christian that the God of mercy and grace will encourage you today. If you are going through pain I pray that you know how much God truly loves you and desires to spend time with you personally through a relationship with Jesus. This relationship with Jesus is the greatest joy we can ever encounter.