THE CHURCH IN A CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY (26)

 The Purpose of Pain

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NLT

"Even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God, to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. 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."

Pain, from a personal perspective, is something that alters or moderates our lives. Sometimes it leads to utter destruction; in other cases, it leads to redirection.

Pain is not pleasurable. Our lives are conditioned to be at ease and to enjoy the beauty of life. However, when pain sets in, some of it is natural and arises from human laxity, while others are inevitably spiritual and designed to achieve a specific purpose. No one can endure the sting of pain alone; divine enablement is essential if we must bear it.

The Bible states: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death" (Proverbs 14:12). And again: "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart" (Proverbs 21:2). Every person who pursues a cause in life is convinced of its success. It is rare to find someone who commits their entire life and resources to a cause without assurance of a prosperous outcome. However, not all paths that seem right lead to a happy ending; some are destructive and carry a death penalty.

For God to prevent a person from ending their life in destruction, He may use the weapon of pain to halt their dangerous journey. Sometimes, this painful intervention might even mean death: "Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come" (Isaiah 57:1). Do you understand this? Even death can be a way for God to intervene in a person's life to protect them from evil. How does this sound to you? In other cases, the pain may be temporary or permanent. God inflicted temporary pain on Paul on his way to Damascus, causing him to go blind, but he later regained his sight (Acts 9:1-19). At another time, Paul experienced the permanent pain of the thorn in his flesh. He pleaded with God for healing, but God assured him only of the grace sufficient to bear it.

Joseph's dreams could not have been realized if he had not been painfully detached from his brothers. The Israelites were not accustomed to a monarchical system at that time, so he had to be sold into Egypt for his dreams to come to fruition. This is why he told his brothers when they came to plead for forgiveness: "God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. So it was God who sent me here, not you! And He is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt" (Genesis 45:7-8). Joseph did not blame his brothers for his ordeal; instead, he saw God's hand in the entire process, knowing it was part of his journey towards fulfilling his dreams of preserving lives.

Until we begin to discover the purpose in our pain, we will always forfeit our peace and bear needless suffering. I speak as one who has mistakenly portrayed pain as good, always anticipating a happy ending. I have underestimated the destructive power of pain, which can lead one to curse the day of their birth, terminate marriages, or humble a person to the point of being unable to speak in public.

However, despite the sting of pain, God still has a purpose for our suffering. Please, I have experienced this myself. Pain can make one lose hope in God's intervention. It can lead you to forget God's past acts and deliberately refuse to claim His promises for the present and future. Pain is never a friend; it comes in the form of unlawful accusations when you have the opportunity to appeal against your accusers, betrayal from a faithful spouse, friends, or family members, community opposition against your generosity, ostracism for your meekness, and condemnation of heroic acts even when they detrimentally affect your family's welfare. There may also be neglect and abandonment despite your united communal spirit, as well as misunderstanding and jealousy from your brethren.

What more can I say? Time does not permit me to discuss how your closest friends may team up with your enemies against you to bring you down. What can be said about the news of a debilitating disease? How could others disbelieve your wife's testimony on your behalf? Pain is indeed a close attack on our vulnerabilities. It can be difficult to prove your innocence when inflicted. But one thing is certain: those who endure to the end will be saved.

Faith can sing through the storm; that is faith that has been tried and proven.

What joy it would bring if we could gladly endure, even if salvation may tarry. But wait for it.

1 Samuel 13:7-13: "He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, 'Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.' And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. Samuel said, 'What have you done?' And Saul said, 'When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, "Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD." So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.' And Samuel said to Saul, 'You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the LORD your God, with which He commanded you. For then the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.'"

Waiting patiently for a solution amidst intense pain seems impossible. Even the most loyal and trusted allies may betray your insistence on waiting on God without alternative options. It is during such times that it appears there is no one to trust, as your faith may be misinterpreted as stubbornness.

Yet, it is good to wait for the salvation of the Lord: "But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).

Here we conclude:

1. O weary heart, there is a home,  

   Beyond the reach of toil and care,  

   A home where changes never come:  

   Who would not fain be resting there?  

Chorus:

   Oh wait, meekly wait, and murmur not!  

   Oh wait, meekly wait, and murmur not,  

   Oh wait, oh wait, oh wait, and murmur not!

2. Yet when bowed down beneath the load  

   By heaven allowed, thine earthly lot;  

   Look up! Though it reach that blest abode  

   Wait, meekly wait, and murmur not!

3. If in thy path some thorns are found,  

   Oh, think who bore them on His brow;  

   If grief thy sorrowing heart has found,  

   It reached a holier than thou.

4. Toil on! Nor deem, though sore it be,  

   One sigh unheard, one prayer forgot;  

   The day of rest will dawn for thee  

   Wait, meekly wait, and murmur not!

Amen.

Peter Abdul-Razaq OLAYINKA

A Serving Missionary with Living Grace Christian Missions, Ilara.  

WhatsApp: (+229) 0194139130  

Mobile No.: (+234) 8066540987, (+234) 7084504532  

Email: peterrazaq@yahoo.com  

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