Growth Pains

Job 33:19

[God’s voice may be heard by man when] he is chastened with pain upon his bed and with continual strife in his bones or while all his bones are firmly set,

No one enjoys pain.  No one says, I think I am going to take a hammer and smash my big toe with this hammer.  

Most people try to avoid pain because it is uncomfortable and is not enjoyable. However, we have to change our perspective to pain.

Think of a leper who does not feel pain.  They lose limbs and digits because there is no pain to say something is happening to the body that can be of danger.  

God takes our pain and uses it to help us to depend on Him and to grow and mature in Him.  Pain is not always a bad thing if it draws us closer to Him.  Too many look at pain as a bad thing and that God doesn't love them or that perhaps they have done something that God is judging them for. 

This perspective is erroneous because God loves us so much that He hates to see us in pain, but will use the pain to draw us closer to Him.

Pain is also a way of telling us we need rest and relaxation.  However, sometimes we have to get to a high level of pain that we can't take it anymore so we cry out to God for rest.

The children of Israel was in Egypt and couldn't take the whips of the taskmasters anymore so they cried out to God to deliver them.  God was faithful and came to their rescue.  They were delivered to a land of rest in Canaan. 

So the next time life brings you pain, don't raise your fist to God and blame Him for it, but rather raise your hands to God in surrender to Him and draw closer to Him.

Lord, help me today to accept the pain in my life and give it over to you knowing that you will help me through the pain and deliver me.  God you are so good to me.