No Pain No Gain – how to turn life’s difficulties into greater good.
No Pain No Gain
I was recently blessed with multiple massage gift cards for my birthday. Yet I wasn’t feeling quite as blessed when I found myself grimicing through my most recent massage. Of course I can’t blame the therapist. I told her to focus on pain relief, not relaxation. With this in mind, she worked me over in a most thorough and firm manner. While I could have asked her to lighten up, I knew this was the only way I was going to experience lasting relief.
Life can feel like this at times. Like the pressure is just too much to bear. But there’s an interesting thing that happens if you take the time to reflect on these experiences. Pain can actually yeild to gain. Adversity and pressure can lead to a new perspective. What seemed important in the past isn’t as important now.
Does this verse from Romans mean that God causes all things? No. When sin entered the world, it too gained the power to make things happen. What this verse does say, is that God will work for the good of those who love Him and are called to His purpose. Essentially, God is promising to bring gain from your pain if you trust Him and seek His purpose for your life.
Courage is Gained
I am currently savoring a bible study guide called Chasing After the Heart of God by Jennie Allen. She sheds a very interesting perspective to a life lived in trust and dependence in God.
The smaller this life gets (meaning the things of this world) and the bigger God and the next life get, the more we are willing to risk here on this earth. We live courageously because in light of God’s glory, we don’t have as much to lose. Courage is grounded in a big view of God
Jennie Allen, from Chasing After the Heart of God
My personal experience is that pain changes perspective. If we allow this perspective to decrease our personal focus and increase our focus on God’s greater purpose, we will experience true gain. What is God’s greater purpose? You can read about it in depth in the the 66 books of the Holy Bible. If you want the short version, here it is: Love God, Love People. By making your decisions in life with this mindset, you’ll be operating in God’s purpose.
God, I pray that we can grow to trust you even when life causes us pain. Help us believe that you work all things for our good as we seek to live according to your purpose. Give us the courage to live a life that matters and brings glory to your mighty and matchless name. Amen.
Great post mom! I can relate to this since I am going through some stuff right now as you know. I know God can work even this for good.