Don't Waste Your Pain

I was reading in Judges 6 about Gideon. An angel of the Lord came down and met him under a tree. The angel said that the Lord was with Gideon, but Gideon replied in verse 13, "...if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about..."

Gideon demanded answers. He wanted God to show him miracles to keep his faith alive. God was going to do amazing things in and through Gideon, but Gideon, himself, felt weak and unusable. He felt God had abandoned His people.

But the Lord turned to Him and said in verse 14, "...go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you? 'But Lord,' Gideon asked,'how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."

God was going to be with Gideon. Yes, Gideon was weak. That's the point! Same with you and me. We are weak in our flesh and in our pain, but God is strong and continually comes to rescue us! He does it so we cannot boast of ourselves!

Going on in Judges....Gideon brings 33,000 men with him to fight against the Midianites but that was not part of God's plan. You see if that many people won the war, how could anyone say, "God did this!" No they would boast in themselves. So God sifted all but 300 men saying to Gideon in Judges 7:7 "...with 300 men that I lapped I will save you..." Same is true in our lives. God allows the physical and emotional pain to drain us so that when He lifts us up no one can boast that it is us doing the work! It is all God.

Glory to Him alone!

Here is an article about a survey of people who have various chronic pain conditions and what was learned from this survey. Click  HERE  to find out more

Friends,
As Mother's Day is approaching I am taking the time to reflect back on all that my own Mother has done for me in the hours when my pain has been the worst. My sweet mother, who lives a few blocks away will take my 7 year old daughter at the drop of a hat and help with anything I need of her. She is there to help with doctor appts and picking up prescriptions. She is there to comfort me on hard days when I don't think I can go on. More than anything she reflects Christ's love to me. She thinks of my needs before her own. This Mother's day I want her to know how much she means to me and how much I appreciate her!

Yes, God has called you to the life you are living, where you are, what is happening in your life...for His purpose! Don't believe the enemy...He wants you to think this pain is a curse from God, that you were meant to be happy and healthy. He wants you to blame God. This life is not all that there is . This life is where we can shine forth Christ to a dying world that has no hope. You are called to share Christ with those around you because that may be the only hope they have. Think about what you can do today to shine forth the Gospel and  the saving love of Christ to those around you. If you can't get out of bed today-PRAY! Satan can't take that away from you. God is with you in your pain. He has a purpose in your pain and others around you are watching your life. What will you do today to show that you are not giving up and wasting your pain?