Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Passing Through

Have you noticed anyone suffering lately? Suffering can come in a large variety of ways; physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, you name it. Right now, however, I am referring to physical suffering, physical pain. This last week I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of new people, since I am a student I am on campus a lot and DMACC is plump full of people waiting between classes looking for something to do. So I use those between class times to meet some people, one common theme I have seen more and more is pain. On Monday alone I met three women who suffer with chronic abdomen pain. 

We can blame this pain on the food we eat, the preservatives, the lack of exercise, or whatever you want but none the less people still have the pain. Why do I think this is? I have no idea, I do not know why people have pain or why specific people suffer but I do know that God can use this. I came to the knowledge of salvation because of my pain, the Lord used it for good in my life and I know He will use it for good in others lives as well. 

People today move too fast, one little stab of pain and they go through months of doctors to find out what caused it. A little headache and we take pain medicine. We are people who like to live a life of ease, we focus on the here and now. The new car, the bigger house, Lord forbid your health gets in the way of one of your goals. We see a hint of pain and we do whatever we can to run as fast as we can to get away from it. 

I am not crazy, I don't like pain, I would rather not have it. I don't cause myself pain on purpose but it happened in my life. I began like most others, I tried to get rid of it as soon as possible only after a year and a half of fighting with all my might to get better did I finally give up. I signed myself over to a life of pain, I didn't know what was wrong and doctors didn't believe me. I had given up, I began learning ways to live with my pain. When I gave up I realized that this world is not the end. Rather it is the beginning. My pain was used to save my life, I was given a different perspective and was saved in the process. 

Do you have pain? Have you tried everything in your power to get rid of it and its not going anywhere? You may have a  close friend in this situation, well I'm not telling you to give up but I am asking you to change your perspective. Stop trying so hard to get rid of your pain and start trying to learn from it. 

Apostle Paul is a wonderful example of this, he is a man who had everything, a man who went around killing Christians until one day he himself accepted Christ as his Savior. This is what God told Paul. 

"He is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake." 
~Acts 9:15-16 

Did you hear that? Paul accepted Christ under the knowledge that he would suffer, God said 'I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake.' That is crazy to me! But look at the life of Paul, look how he suffered; imprisonments, beatings, lashings five times thirty-nine lashes each, stoned three times, shipwrecked three times, went hungry and thirsty, suffered from cold and exposure. Paul signed onto a life of suffering but look at his attitude through it. 

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. ~Philippians 4:11-12 

Paul suffered because his eyes were focused on Christ, he was looking at what was to come. I was told one time 'When you look ahead in life look far enough to see Heaven, and when you look behind look far enough to see the Cross.' Paul set his priorities, he lived his life like he was simply passing through this world. This earth is our temporary home, we are here for a little while. 

Did you know that ten out of ten people die? If you haven't thought about where you will go when you die I beg you to think about it now. Eternity is forever, its pretty vital we make the correct choice when we are choosing to commit ourselves to forever. This world is full of suffering because this world is full of sin. Suffering is the result of a fallen world. However, one day if we choose it our suffering will be over but for now we press on, simply passing through. 

Prayer Requests:
*People would see their suffering from a different perspective
*I will be able to balance my time with school, lyme, and ministry
*That the Lord will provide opportunities that I can have an influence in the lives of people who are suffering with pain
*That I will continue to heal

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