Purpose Driven Pain

Purpose Driven Pain

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 NIV

Some would have you believe that a true follower of God is someone that knows how to avoid trouble. They seem to think they know all of the right prayers to avoid troubles and loss. And I would say that I feel sorry for them. They have exchanged the truth of Bible scripture for something spurious, something that is counterfeit. The Bible says that a person who perseveres under trial is blessed. If you avoid all of the trials, where is your blessing?

I think that the true follower of God will experience pain, loss and in some cases... will endure these things on purpose. Sometimes the Lord provides us with (or may allow) pain, anxiety and troubles in order to build character into His followers. When the Lord sends trouble and we respond to that trouble appropriately and with maturity, God teaches us how to hope in difficult circumstances (Romans 5:3-4). And God intends to teach us these things so that we know how to stand in difficult times and how to meet the needs of others.
I am not a fan of suffering. I am not a masochist. But I don't think we truly know how to celebrate until we have learned how to suffer... or that is, how to suffer well. When we face the same difficulties as the world, and we do it with hope in God, I think that the world can see the difference. If we suffer well, I think we make God all the more compelling to non believers.