Joy in Times of Pain
The Bible talks a great deal about pain. Jabez received his name as a result of his birth being so terribly painful to his mother. Job experienced extreme mental and physical pain. In Job 30:17, he says, “At night my bones are filled with pain, which gnaws at me relentlessly.” David said in Psalm 38:17, “I am on the verge of collapse facing constant pain.”
There are many different types of pain—physical and emotional. Each can be equally difficult to bear. But we can have joy in knowing that God is with us in the midst of our pain, and He is with us always, “even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). We can know what it means to be a part of "the fellowship of His suffering" (Philippans 3:10).
In Matthew 8, the Bible tells of a Roman officer who came to Jesus seeking relief for his young servant, paralyzed and in terrible pain. Jesus told the man he would come and heal his servant, yet the man said he was unworthy for Jesus to come. The Roman officer said in Matthew 8:8, “Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.” The Bible goes on to say that Jesus was amazed by the Roman officer’s faith. Matthew 8:13 says, “Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, 'Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.' And the young servant was healed that same hour.” Do you have that kind of faith?
Certainly, no one experienced more pain on this earth than Jesus. Yet, in spite of the pain He endured on our behalf, Revelation 21:4 tells us that one day, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
What a beautiful picture of the Savior’s love for us. May you know and experience the beauty and joy of this kind of love in the midst of any and all pain, and may you have the best week you've ever had in your life.
There are many different types of pain—physical and emotional. Each can be equally difficult to bear. But we can have joy in knowing that God is with us in the midst of our pain, and He is with us always, “even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). We can know what it means to be a part of "the fellowship of His suffering" (Philippans 3:10).
In Matthew 8, the Bible tells of a Roman officer who came to Jesus seeking relief for his young servant, paralyzed and in terrible pain. Jesus told the man he would come and heal his servant, yet the man said he was unworthy for Jesus to come. The Roman officer said in Matthew 8:8, “Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.” The Bible goes on to say that Jesus was amazed by the Roman officer’s faith. Matthew 8:13 says, “Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, 'Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.' And the young servant was healed that same hour.” Do you have that kind of faith?
Certainly, no one experienced more pain on this earth than Jesus. Yet, in spite of the pain He endured on our behalf, Revelation 21:4 tells us that one day, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
What a beautiful picture of the Savior’s love for us. May you know and experience the beauty and joy of this kind of love in the midst of any and all pain, and may you have the best week you've ever had in your life.
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