Pain Brings Us Closer To God



Posted: Friday, July 31, 2009

by Jeanine Mathis

Psalm 56:8 says, "Thou hast taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Thy bottle; Are they not in Thy book?"

Have you ever felt flooded by tears that just won't stop? God knows each and every tear that falls from your eyes and He understands the pain behind the tears. I've been there, and have found myself wondering why God allows particular circumstances in my life. Ecclesiastes 7:14 says, "In the day of prosperity be happy, but in the day of adversity consider-God has made the one as well as the other".

Just as there are happy days filled with joy, there are days full of sadness and difficulty. God allows us to experience both happiness and sorrow. Job 2:10b says, "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" No one wants to feel pain. Pain doesn't feel good. But sometimes pain is a warning sign of a bigger problem. Physical pain can alert us to a disease or sickness. Emotional pain can wake us upmake us stop and think.what am I doing here? Why haven't I sought God? Why haven't I put my hope in Him? Why do I spend time on just about anything else, but neglect the one who created me?

Sometimes we get so caught up in the daily events and activities of our every day lives, that we fail to remember the most important things. We forget that a relationship with God is the only thing that will satisfy the longings of our heart. We forget that when we die we can't take anything with us. Just as we are born into the world with nothing we will leave with nothing.

God allows hardship because He wants to create something beautiful in our lives. He wants to strengthen our character, make us more compassionate, give us a broader perspective, and strengthen our faith. More importantly, He wants us to love Him even more. Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who crushed in spirit." When your heart feels like it will break and your spirit feels crushed to the ground, turn to the Lord. When you are down, the Lord is near. When your heart feels sick, the Lord is by your side. Do you know Him? Have you given your life to Him? Have you asked Him to share your burden?

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy and My load is light."

Tears that lead to hope remind me of the Spring rain that promises new growth and life. If you don't Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior then pray and ask God to forgive your sins. Put your faith in what Jesus did for you on the cross and ask God to give you a relationship with Him.

Jeanine desires to share God's word with all who are interested. Her blog, Walk in Light can be found at http://www.walk-in-light.com

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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)
» left by Teresa Ortiz
 2 years 299 days ago.
188 fans.
Hi Jeanine, thank you for this encouraging message. Very timely for the hardships many are facing during this struggling economy. You quoted one of my favorite verses. Psalm 38:18 Blessings to you! Teresa
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