When the Pain is On!

Are you in a painfully, messy marriage?

Are you going through an excruciating trial?

Or both?

When I reflect back on my life and marriage, I realize that when the battle was the fiercest and when the pathway seemed the darkest, God was refining us and strengthening us the most!

We were stretched during those times.

And God grew us in ways He could’ve never grown us if everything had gone smoothly.

We needed the heat and friction of God’s refinement to smooth away the imperfections and blemishes of our hearts.  

We’re still a work in progress and will be till the day we die! But all this has made me realize that when it’s not gut-wrenchingly hard, we’re not experiencing deep growth—we’re simply coasting.

Sure, I love the times of coasting! And don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful to God for those times. They are blessings and reprieves from the hard seasons. But coasting is not what makes us stronger. It’s not what draws us closer—not really. Those times of “coasting” are simply “nice,” sweet memories that make us feel good in the moment.

Now when we feel “good” very often we want more of that good feeling and run fiercely away from the times of hard work and pride swallowing pain. Ironically, when we run from God’s growth through pain, we end up moving backward instead of moving forward. It feels like “movement” but it is movement away from God, while movement forward is found as we come near and submit to God when the pain is on!

I sometimes wish marriage, and life, was easier.

But it’s not.

And it’s not, because then we wouldn’t realize our need for God—when the pain is on.

Won’t you quit running from your pain, and instead run forward into the comforting arms of the One who loves you with His life?

What painful situation are you facing?

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.“ James 4:7-8a (NIV)