The Purpose of Pain, part 1

In the past year, I experienced four distinct types of pain: (1) pain of disease (2) pain of ridicule (3) pain of failure and (4) pain of unknown. God allowed each scenario to grow me closer to Him and reveal His glory to others.

1. The Pain of Disease.  I remember the conversation ... the phone call to come over and talk. My parents have been diagnosed with cancer. Not at the same time but within the same year. Fortunately, at this moment they have done necessary steps to get rid of the cancer that they found. Essentially, my parents are cancer survivors and will always be cancer fighters. The fight through the cancer, allowed us to highlight a couple of things about their life: (1) you are not defined by your disease and (2) you are about to add a new community to your life.  First, if you are a child of God then you are defined by the King and not the disease for which you struggle. Whatever has the power to define you has mastered you. My parents would not stop and allow the disease to master them.  Second, my dad always prayed to be used by God for a great purpose. When dad asked me why he God allowed it, I got to remind him that when God puts together a rescue party to save the hurting that the rescue party were going to be people that obey Him. That rescue party would be required to go through the same dark valleys as those that were hurting. He was sent to appointments, meetings, etc. that he had not planned to attend. He met people that otherwise he would not have met and was able to share Jesus with people that had no other hope.

2. The Pain of Ridicule. Not sure what makes people do it. Dr. Randy Davis, executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, continues to remind that “hurt people, hurt people.” Although that may be true, the pain is still real. To be thrown under a bus, to be made fun of, to be gossiped about, etc. is painful. Whatever the cause of ridicule, the pain to realize that others will be mean to you hurts. Ridicule helps you to realize: (1) that you self-worth does not rest in the opinions of others, (2) that your identity is found in your Creator and (3) that those that love you are very valuable. Psalm 4: 1-2: Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent. Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer. How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies?

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david evans is the Evangelism Director for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.  Feel free to contact david via e-mail devans@tnbaptist.org. In the meantime, for Great Commission ideas check out “The Reaching App” by searching in your app store or visiting www.TheReachingApp.com.