Pain and Suffering

As I found myself going through so much adversity, I wondered where God was. I found myself begging and pleading with God to help me. I couldn’t understand how to turn things around in my life. The more I tried, the worse things became. It was absolutely unbearable; physically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and financially. It was a one-stop shop to crazyville.

It wasn’t until I heard a sermon on II Corinthians 12, when all of a sudden, a light bulb turned on. Within these passages, Paul had been given an incredible gift by God. He had been caught up into paradise; into heaven. Yet, he was plagued with pain and found himself pleading with God. Let’s see what he had to say…

II Corinthians 12:7 – 10 “And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceeding greatness of these revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a message of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted. Three times I called upon the Lord and besought [Him] about this and begged that it might depart from me. But He said to me, My grace is enough for you; for My strength and power are made perfect and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ may rest upon me! So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

Paul is very specific here. It is obvious that it is easy to boast and become egotistical when God does something amazing in our lives. And we can also see that we tend to beg and plead with God when things don’t go our way. Geez, Paul tells us that he begged God three different times, with no success. Why?

Like Paul, we all must grasp this concept. We may plead for God’s help. However, just because we ask for something doesn’t mean that God will answer in the way we want. See, God has a specific purpose for us all. We have no idea how our pain and suffering, as well as, our overcoming the situation may help someone else down the road. Who knows, you might meet someone going through something God has already brought you through; giving you the opportunity to tell your story and help someone else. That is pretty powerful in itself.

But, Paul takes it a step further. He also began to see his suffering differently. Every time he felt the pain, he was happy for his weakness. He knew that God was strong enough to handle it and that God’s grace and power was more than enough to conquer it.