While we can know more about Jesus through Bible study, small groups, books, and sermons, some of the richest dimensions of our relationship with him will be forged through suffering. That doesnt mean that God causes our pain. It will come, not instantaneously, but completely. The greatness of this truth can only be seen when we consider the vastness of space and the trillions and trillions of stars. VARIOUS KINDS OF PAIN Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us thatJesus can empathize with our pain and weakness: Whenever I read that passage I find myself marveling at the fact we, sinful humans, can approach Gods throne with confidence, so that we can receive mercy and find grace to, help us in our time of need. This proves a couple of things. Jesus told Paul, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. The message, and the messenger, gave Paul a tremendous boost. No matter where we live or who we are, God sees us, and He knows every detail of our pain. What youre experiencing may have caught you off guard, but it didnt take God by surprise. Its a prime-time witness, when all eyes are on the person who hurts. And He is doing something about it. Sermon on Pain | Preaching Today He sees every thought, word and action. Agonize, wondering how our loved ones will manage. Sometimes we are put in pain for not listening to him. This sermon reminds the believer that God is a God of absolute knowlege. He freely helps those who call upon Him in their time of need (Psalm 46:1) and there is nothing that can separate you from His love (Romans 8:38-39). Upon accepting an award, the late Jack Benny once remarked, "I really don't deserve this. Connect with Pam on Instagram or at PamTebow.com. Jesus fully understands me, but I can understand only the mere edges of him. . You will have pain, but y our pain will turn into joy. That brings back memories of the doctors office and that giant needle moving ever closer. But we can be certain that, as Joni Eareckson Tada says, Well thank God endlessly in heaven for the trials he sent us here.. Scripture: Mark 5:21-43. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.. Your Bible study. God uses all things, even painful things, for our good. Grow your faith with Biblical teachings through the medium of stories. *Indicated Required Field See ourPrivacy Policy. THERE IS A REASON - There is Purpose in Your Pain That God was using my suffering to accomplish something far greater than I could see or understand. Username Tags:Don't Give Up, Kyle Idleman, Struggle, Suffering. He knows that your straw has been taken away. People watch those who are hurting to see what matters most to them. Divine theme by Restored 316, For your convenience, this post may contain affiliate links. Wonder of wonders, in some small measure, lowly me gets to identify with and enter his grief. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. We hear all the time, oh that religious stuff is fine for you, but Ive got my work and my family, But heaven may feel like little comfort as days of pain on earth stretch into months and even years. No. Deals with one of the reasons people give for taking thier lives into thier own hands near the end of life, the second part of a 3 part series. God, our benevolent and gracious God, knows what pain is. Genesis 25:29-33, A. God is not only the creator of what is visible but what is invisible (Colossians 1:16). If Christs power was upon him in the pain, then he would rather have the strength of Christ than his own weakness. Isaiah 43:18-19, Denomination: God will make all things new; we have endless and painless joy awaiting us in heaven. Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. But as I submit to him through suffering, something shifts in me. Your situation may seem impossible, but God makes the impossible, possible. As a servant, Hagar was considered unimportant and was sometimes treated poorly. Navigating the challenges and joys of ministry life. The Greek word for the Holy Spirit is literally translated to, The one who comes alongside. Remember that, when youre standing in the hospital or funeral home, or when you hear the words you never thought youd hear. If we know God then should we not live differently? In medical terms, this is a real condition, called hematidrosis or hematohidrosis. Order Curriculum, Literature, and Church Supplies, by Andy Cook on Wednesday, January 01, 2014 at 7:00 AM, Sermon 3 in a 4-sermon series called "Looking Up When Life Gets You Down". Matthew 10:22, Denomination: . There is always a reason. Please take my pain and use it for good in my life, drawing me closer to You. 1 - Pain Perversion, If The Preacher Is Dead, The Sermon Will Be Dead, Chasing The Dream, Preaching Greatness, And Knowing Your Audience. To know God is the furthest thing from their minds. 4. And when we can, like Barbara, imitate Jesus and his glad willingness to submit to God, we experience a profound kinship with him. Admittedly, I still dont welcome the suffering that draws me that close, often preferring to know about Christs sufferings intellectually rather than through experience. Introduction it can cloud our vision or clear our vision. and crazy facts that really arent facts at all. Take comfort in the fact that God knows what youre feeling. Like Paul, perhaps most of us cant see the purpose of our pain right at first. It has marked me. Nothing is beyond Gods ability to redeem. God Has Not Forgotten You | Desiring God *, Password And, if you listen carefully, you might just hear him whispering, DONT GIVE UP! . God has all of eternity to lavish his kindness on us (Ephesians 2:7). So where can you identify with him in your suffering? Before this moment, he wouldnt have shared left-over bread with a Gentile, much less a message of hope and love. Lord, thank You for being a God who sees me and knows me completely. Or multiple sclerosis. God has come alongside you. Stay here and keep watch.. 1- Pain Perversion God might allow a colicky baby to teach us patience. I offer $1,000. There, Jesus told Paul to take the message of the gospel to the Gentiles, an instruction that represented a major shift in missions and in Pauls personal life. 10/28/12 When you run from God in seasons of challenge, all you're left with is your own limited ability to cope with what you're walking through. Pastor John gets to the heart and offers practical suggestions for growing in evangelism. It was written because these are issues we will all face in our lives. During the beating the day before, Paul and Silas must have been screaming their prayers to God, begging for relief. He could write more letters. But at the moment, Paul only knew the pain of having to leave his home and ministry in a hurry. Pentecostal. Let us then approachGods throne of grace with confidence,so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16. God Wants You to Have a Healthy Heart Topic: IF YOU KNOW JESUS YOU WILL KNOW GOD As tears streamed down my face, I understood how lonely and forgotten I had been feeling. You wake up face down on the pavement Mark 5:21-43 Baptist, C.S. He is using your suffering and pain in ways you would not believe if someone told you. The slate has been wiped clean; were starting over fresh and clean. Or perhaps just a needed break from our pain and suffering. He grew up on True II Society and Gospel Gangstaz in Coventry, England. Christian/Church Of Christ. Or any number of the stunning array of diseases, disabilities or discouragements that can come our way. And as we behold Gods glory, we are being changed into his image (2 Corinthians 3:18), becoming more like him. Jesus said, in John 14, that we will never be left alone, that he would send the Holy Spirit to be with us and to give us peace. Imagine you are afraid of heights and I offer you $10 to jump out of an airplane. Reminder: You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. He searches us, and He knows us. There is nothing worse than experiencing a painful season and feeling unseen. Thats the perspective we can have because of heaven. Senior Center Devotional In verse 29, we get Gods definition of good. He defines good as conforming us to the likeness of his son. He knew the physical pain of the cross, and the personal pain of betrayal. Their heart is unfeeling like fat, but we delight in Your law. Let's pray. Hed been scored, chased, scandalized and slandered. In verse 29, we get God's definition of "good." He defines good as conforming us to the likeness of his son. However, if we are going to be successful in moving forward then well need to let go of all that useless, heavy baggage. For more information, see ourPrivacy Policy. 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. I dont know that you have never noticed that the number 40 is used several times in the Bible. There is a nearness, a personalness to God that David immediately feels in trouble. Sermons about God In Your Pain - SermonCentral.com Somatic or nociceptive pain, activation of pain receptors: i.e., cut, broken bones, tissue damage. The reality expressed in the words "God knows" is a well of profound comfort and peace for us in our afflictions. Barbara Brand, who has MS and brain lesions that cause excruciating pain in her head, gets regular injections into her skull and neck (about forty at a time) just to relieve the uncontrollable pain and nausea. But God sees us, and He cares deeply. Two miraculously-personal encounters occurred in maybe sixteen weeks, and not another one for sixteen years! God Knows Our Suffering | Theology of Work Psalm 56 begins with David's cry for mercy because his enemies are attacking him. In the midst of pain, there is an opportunity faith maturity that could accelerate your Christian growth like nothing else possibly could. You wake up face down on the pavement You look to see the birds outside your window and see nothing but buzzards Your B-day cake .read more. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we areyet he did not sin. If we are his, our pain will most surely and completely end. And as we experience a portion of what he did and yield to him in it, we find a precious intimacy with him. Paul did, and you can. He hadnt always had enough food, clothing, sleep, or friends. Our suffering is momentary and for a little while as we consider and experience it in light of eternity. That's true, of course because God is Omniscient He knows everything, including some things you might wish He didn't know God Knows | worldchallenge.org Pain . Youll see the character on the inside that inspires all of us. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it .read more. God will make all things new; we have endless and painless joy awaiting us in heaven. By purchasing products through these links, I may receive a small commission, however, your cost for the item does not change. From Josephs point of view, there was a time in his life when every angle of life showed nothing but pain. After that next miraculous message, it would be another six years, at least, before the next, and according to the record of Acts, there was never another one. His resume of suffering appears near this very passage (2 Corinthians 11:23-29), and it includes multiple imprisonments, beatings, floggings, canings, life-threatening experiences, a stoning, shipwrecks, and a night and a day floating in the open sea. It is good for us that we were afflicted, that we might learn Your statutes. You know its going to be a tough day when. John 16:17-24, Denomination: *, Forgot your password In Him, there is freedom (Galatians 5:1). Exodus 16:1-3. Wildwind Community Church And so it is with us. read more, Scripture: Unless, of course, faith plays a role. What Does the Bible Say about Trusting God? And now, there was a thorn in the flesh. How bad was this particular pain? To read Pauls letters to those churches, one might come away with the idea that Paul was continually frustrated, and that his work wasnt very successful. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.James 1:2-4 Apostolic. We come out on the other side of it looking a little more like Jesus. Going Back in Order to God Forward Or if you have ever begged God to remove your anguish, and God denied your desperate request, you can know a little of Christs fellowship in suffering. No, I do not remember being one The Bible tells me to be an imitator of God, so I get to imitate Jesus and his glad willingness to submit to the Fathers s terrible, yet wonderful, will. It has been said that there are only 2 things that are certain in life . But, almost more than this, we want to know that he is still there, that he knows and cares for us. 2. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Acute pain comes on suddenly, localized, easily identified, severe, and can become chronic. God may allow the difficult boss to teach us self-control. Your B-day cake read more, Scripture: 1 John 1:1-5:21, Denomination: A world under strife. It doesnt yet serve a purpose, but it is lovingly pushed, molded and fired at extremely high temperatures so that it will be ready for its final purpose. Our God sees us, knows everything about us and loves us perfectly! The men were that days leading headline, and all of Philippi was talking about them. Isaiah 53:3-11, Denomination: He sees us when we wander. So I did the only thing I could: I offered it to Him. {Well randomly select 5 winners and then notify each one in the comments section by Monday, May 10, 2021.}. The image calms my heart, but best of all, it binds me to his love. You can know Gods works and also know Gods way. For he is constantly looking to devour and deceive (1 Peter 5:8). What motivates you to make changes in your life? Female, Are you a Pastor? God knows everything, both good and bad How Can God Help You Through the Tough Times? Perhaps Paul explained why it would be a good idea to have the pain removed. Well feel that, I know your storm feels long right now, but today I want you to focus on, he leads me beside peaceful streams. Please open your Bibles to John chapter 17. Teach me, teach us, Your statutes. read more, Scripture: The apostle Paul talks about sharing in Christs sufferings, wanting to know him and the power of his resurrection (Philippians 3:10). On the other hand, God invites us to draw near to him that we might experience his peace, healing . Come to me,all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. His cousin was murdered, his family misunderstood him, his hometown rejected him, and he watched as a sword pierced his mothers soul. But the lesson is so difficult, the only way any of us would discover it is that God allows pain to be a part of our lives. 1. 3. God will get on us sometimes for not listening. They have lived with suffering for so longs; they act out if they have no pain. Second,God has the tools we need in our hour of need. At first, that lump of clay is just thata lump. In Romans 8:18, Paul who experienced all kinds of pain writes, I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. We can endure a lot of pain if we know that something better is coming. Please eradicate these annoying animals.A small deer came into my camp and stole my jar of pickles. One of the most difficult things about pain is the feeling that its pointless. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, prt. That means your pain is never in vain. Bring your pain to God don't run from him. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. With no way to expel the grain of sand, with no way to ease the pain, the oyster coats the sand with a layer of the inner lining of its shell to make the sand smooth. In Jesus Name, Amen. and In the midst of pain that will not leave, you might be able to discover at least part of the purpose your pain has. . Hed been the focus of riots and death threats, and after one harrowing, near-death experience, he was snake bitten! I thought about going back over his specific statements regarding the purpose of his writing. They lived day to day, as we do, disappointed, waiting, and wondering why their lives were so hard. We will call this So Jesus came to reveal God, to make Him known. In order to not cause confusion, I am naming each of the sermons in this series after whatever were covering in the Emotionally Healthy Spirituality book that week. Behind every support specialist, Bible study editor, graphic designer, and accountant is a Sunday School teacher, kids volunteer, or small group leader. How deeply ignorant and shameful it is of us ever think that Jesus cannot comprehend what we are going through, when in fact, it is the other way around. Everyone experiences pains, and while the size and scope may vary, our source of help does not. According to most scholars time-lines, Jesus was crucified about A.D. 30. He doesnt waste the pain in our lives. Mark 5:21-43 * 3. He had seen rejection and disappointment as surely as you have. Introduction: The Psalmist declares that God knows the number of stars in the universe. God Knows This message is for anyone who is suffering pain, affliction or tribulation. Without that we do not have eternal life; we have eternal punishment. I couldnt see Him, but I sensed His presence in ways I cannot express in words. In theology, this is From the time He formed us in our mothers womb until we see Him face-to-face, we are never out of His sight. Denomination: Church Of God. Untold riches. I felt unnoticed. That is not to say I do not like to be around crowds or visiting with people, it does mean that it is something I have to work at. The purpose of this message is to inform the listener that finding God's purpose in life is a process of discipleship and decision making. We want to know that Jesus understands our suffering, which he does, but there is an even deeper fellowship when we understand a little of his. This is a very important spiritual issue because if God really exists, then those who reject Him Yes In that riot, most of the people werent sure of what the fuss was all about (Acts 19:32). Yes, there remain unanswered questions. He holds us. It turns heaven into hell. It becomes pretty easy to end up treating God as a commodity When we see such passion in the midst of such pain, we applaud it, follow it, and find inspiration for our own lives through the example of others. God gives us pain for different reasons. God Knows Your Pain - (Rapzilla Devotional) read more, Scripture: Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks Tyndale House Publishersfor their sponsorship of todays devotion. I still cant believe it 6 campuses. We know theres a reason for what were going through. Title: Living like you know God. Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords,was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. I contemplated any number of ways to summarize Johns letter. May 27, 2001 But after maybe 84 years of pain in this life, you will have an eternity of perfect bliss. Whatever you are dealing with, you can find your suffering in Christs. Wouldnt it be a good idea, when it would be in your power, to take special care of those who work for you? Their refusal was the result of their allegiance to God. We live in a day when many people are not even interested in knowing God. God can heal the wounded spirit and the sin sick and broken heart. My name is Adam 1 John 2:3-6, 1 John 2:3-29. We live in a world that is filled with hurting people. When I am weak, then I am strong, Paul said. You must lean into God in order for Him to guide you. When we are hurting, we want God to be aware of us. Your family. And in both of those cases, the pain of great loss clouds the vision of pains purpose. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (NIV), Genesis 16:11, The angel of the LORD also said to her: You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. It looks at the things that John says we need to know. As I got up this morning I felt pains in my body that are a result of sparring in my karate class, preparing for a tournament later this week. Mark 5:21-43 November 6, 1999 Morning Service INTRODUCTION I. What would you do in the hours that followed such an event? In just a few weeks, Paul had another supernatural experience in Jerusalem, when he saw the Lord speaking while in a trance (Acts 22:17). * read more, Scripture: Christian Rap & Urban Christian Culture's most visited destination has been Rapzilla.com, since 2003. death and taxes. As far as an oyster is concerned, what we call a pearl is nothing more than great suffering. 12:7-10 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. We will die from wasting disease. If you were to die today and stand before God seated upon the great white throne of judgment, would He or would He not let you into That the Lord was with me and would sustain me through this trial. Pain saps our energy and often leads to bitterness and despair. After all, missionaries, church planters and pastors work for God! Thats the crippling thing about pain. Few Jewels capture the eye quite like a perfect pearl. In Psalm 23, David begins by talking about God and his tender care, saying, The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:1). All real. Are you suffering? You know it's going to be a tough day when. Part 3 in series Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, this message looks at false messages we learn in childhood and their effects on us in adulthood, and explains why the pain of moving out of the false self is preferable to the pain of staying in it. Im one of the pastors here 1. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. It was a messenger from Satan, sent to torment him. For all those who reject God, they must know that the day will come when they will have to stand before God and face His holiness and justice. This is sharing in the fellowship of Christs sufferings. It's no wonder that people have found themselves weeping, crying, and calling out to God . And now is doubling at the rate of every 18 months. He gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that do not exist (Romans 4:17). In Genesis, we read about another woman in distress, facing hopelessness and unknowns: Sarahs slave Hagar, who ran away to the desert when she was mistreated by her mistress. Somehow, suffering can transport us into the throne room of God, where we feel the tenderness of his embrace, an otherworldly sense of joy, and a fellowship unlike anything else weve ever known. Jesus knows all about pain and He knows your pain. This is a streaming platform that will allow you to accesses a growing content library of Christian Bible studies, movies and other resources. These are lessons that can be learned only in the classroom of suffering, and only the student enrolled there is allowed to make the discovery. It is for the unemployed and those facing financial trials. He knows your deepest fears. I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods (Daniel 3:25). read more, Scripture: But I knew God saw me, and He saw my pain. From a logical point of view, it would seem that God would reward those who do good with less pain. And perhaps he had other such encounters, but Luke only tells us of these. It is a crushing sensation to experience heartache and feel as if nobody cares. Paul asked God to remove the pain, whatever it might have been. If you havent already, be sure to join our, Special Note: This post may contain affiliate links. CSB Experiencing God Bible, Hardcover, Jacketed. read more.