Pain's Purpose, Part 2
January 27th, 2010
This article is by Serena Woods – you can read part 1 here.
….Not ‘giving up on your faith’, but giving up on your right to ‘self’. God needs empty vessels to fill, not self-propelled motors to watch. Christ’s death on the cross was to complete the ‘abc’ existence and set you free to ‘get it right’ through faith. You couldn’t do this for yourself, so He did it for you. Going back on that is blotting out the cross with unbelief.
“I am emphatic about this. The moment any one of you submits to circumcision or any other rule-keeping system, at that same moment Christ’s hard-won gift of freedom is squandered. I repeat my warning: The person who accepts the ways of circumcision trades all the advantages of the free life in Christ for the obligations of the slave life of the law.” -Galatians 5:2-3
Sometimes He allows bad things to happen so that He can illuminate Himself. He let Lazarus die and said He was ‘glad’ (John 11:14), He instigated Job’s attack (Job 1:8), He let Satan sift Peter (Luke 22:32), He let men crucify Him, He lets you fall and He lets you hurt all for the sake of illuminating Himself. It’s not glory for you, it’s glory for Him. If you think that it should be all roses and sunshine, then you’ll miss Him. You’ll be resentful and frustrated and tighten the reigns on yourself even more.
When you give your life to God, He makes a clean sweep, throwing the trash out to be burned.
“The real action comes next: The main character in this drama…will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.” –Matthew 3:11-12
Is your life in shambles right now? Face it full on. Don’t ask questions. Don’t scramble to try to fix it. Wait for God with faith and hope. He may have had to destroy what was built in order to give you a new foundation, a foundation with Him as the cornerstone.
“When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face. The “worst” is never the worst. Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.” -Lamentations 3:28-32
Serena, as usual, you communicate truth so powerfully, and yet in a way that could come in a whisper, not a shout. Thank you.
I am absolutely convinced that God has called me to share the message of His everlasting love and grace to the broken and wrecked. I speak with overwhelming compassion that He has given me and with passion that has overtaken me. I identify, most clearly, with these words from Isaiah:
1-7 The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me.
He sent me to preach good news to the poor,
heal the heartbroken,
Announce freedom to all captives,
pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of his grace—
a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies—
and to comfort all who mourn,
To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,
give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,
Messages of joy instead of news of doom,
a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.
Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness”
planted by God to display his glory.
They’ll rebuild the old ruins,
raise a new city out of the wreckage.
They’ll start over on the ruined cities,
take the rubble left behind and make it new.
You’ll hire outsiders to herd your flocks
and foreigners to work your fields,
But you’ll have the title “Priests of God,”
honored as ministers of our God.
You’ll feast on the bounty of nations,
you’ll bask in their glory.
Because you got a double dose of trouble
and more than your share of contempt,
Your inheritance in the land will be doubled
and your joy go on forever.
8-9″Because I, God, love fair dealing
and hate thievery and crime,
I’ll pay your wages on time and in full,
and establish my eternal covenant with you.
Your descendants will become well-known all over.
Your children in foreign countries
Will be recognized at once
as the people I have blessed.”
10-11I will sing for joy in God,
explode in praise from deep in my soul!
He dressed me up in a suit of salvation,
he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo
and a bride a jeweled tiara.
For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers,
and as a garden cascades with blossoms,
So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom
and puts praise on display before the nations. -Isaiah 61
Serena Woods´s last blog post … thoughts on ‘pain’s purpose’
That is so well written. Our family had a really horrible year last year. My husband and I decided to face it head on, with faith and the assurance that God was creating something even better for us. We grew so much and it created the desire for more of Him and less of us. Trials develop so much character and love…though I will say I’m hoping it’s awhile before we have another :)
Mirinda´s last blog post … Love is in the air!
No kidding, Mirinda! When you ask God for growth, watch out! ;) Always beauty from ashes. How do the ashes get there? :)
Serena Woods´s last blog post … thoughts on ‘pain’s purpose’
You have so much insight. Thank you for your heart to communicate the Lord’s heart to others.
Barbie´s last blog post … Mustard Seed Faith
Serena, thank you for dieing to self today so Jesus could write that to us with your fingertips. Such a true message. This same thing has been on my heart all week too. Free the captives.
Sisterlisa´s last blog post … Expressing Love
I just can’t tell you how much this two-part article has meant to me. You are absolutely living proof that pain can serve amazing purpose (although I know you already know that! ;) Thank you for what that purpose has done for me today.
To God be all the glory! :)
Serena, I would love to know what translation of the Bible you are using. The verses in Lamentations are beautiful, but not anything like my NIV version!
Sarah Mae, thanks for hosting Serena!
Cherie´s last blog post … Hearts at Home Living With Less Contest
Cherie: I love The Message version. :)
Serena Woods´s last blog post … keeping it simple
Beautifully written – thank you so much for sharing the truth of God’s Word with us.
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