“We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to.
C.S. Lewis “The Problem With Pain”
Suffering helps us redirect our focus. It shifts our thinking from immediate circumstances so we can listen to God concerning His work in our lives and our world. Dennis Fisher- Our Daily Bread
As I read this in my daily devotional this morning I could not help but think about the pain in our world and in our lives. War, poverty, hunger, disease, crime, injustice, racial division, war, terrorism, economic hardship, divorce, broken relationships, broken families, addictions, sickness the list goes on and on.
Is God, as C.S. Lewis wrote shouting at us in our pain? I think He is. I can think of no other reason for God who is good and does good to allow the pain, suffering in our world. Could it be that as we seek ever-increasing pleasure, that God allows us to have what we want, and still gives us the opportunity through the suffering it brings to turn to Him?
We do not hear God shouting, “turn around, turn to me, wrong way.” Make no mistake there is no neutral territory. “God can’t be mocked. What you give is what you get. What you sow, you harvest. Those who sow seeds into their flesh will only harvest destruction from their sinful nature. But those who sow seeds into the Spirit shall harvest everlasting life from the Spirit”. Galatians 6:7-8
We fail to understand that the cause of suffering and pain is sin. We fail to understand that the pleasure we seek, going our own way, can turn into a curse that produces sin “We fail to understand that all is not right, that “all creation groans in unison with birthing pains up until now. And there is more; it’s not just creation—all of us are groaning together too.” Romans 8:19-2
Waiting for the day when all is set right. And in all the pain and suffering in the world and our lives, God is speaking. And He alone is the answer to all our trouble.
When we recognize and honor Him for all He is
When we recognize and accept His Son Jesus Christ as Savior alone
When we recognize Jesus sacrifice for all the sins of mankind
When we surrender our lives to Him
It changes everything!
“Sometimes God’s love feels like pain, but in reality, it is nothing more than an opening to get back to the life He desires for us”. Eric Kampmann
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