Does It Have To Hurt This Badly?

This morning I was talking to my dear friend Christi regarding what God has asked both she and her family to walk through this week.  In the midst of our conversation she made a wise statement that has resonated in my mind ever since.  She said that “All things are possible with God but that doesn’t mean all things are painless.”   Why is it we believe having God accomplish His perfect will in our lives is a painless process?  Why would we think we were exempt from pain when Christ, Himself, endured the pain of the cross to accomplish God’s perfect will for His life and cause His perfect plan to come to fruition?  Isn’t God’s design for us to become mature in Him so we can be mature in Him?  He has the blueprint for our lives…a perfect sketch for us. Our perfection, that is our maturation, will not always come through a painful experience but be aware, sometimes it will require it.

Joseph…

Joseph was his dad’s favorite.  He didn’t ask for his father’s favor, but that didn’t make the response of his brother any less hateful or bitter.  In fact, their disdain of Joseph escalated so much that they devised a plan to do away with him.  They lured him away from home and cast him into a pit.  Some wanted to kill him but one brother had to idea to sell him and make it out as though was killed.  Now, while Joseph was in the pit this conversation was being held within earshot.  Can you imagine the emotion flowing through him?  This was his flesh and blood devising a way to rid him from their lives.  If you are familiar with the biblical account, David is sold into slavery, but because of his honesty and character is elevated in Potipher’s household, finding himself in charge of all the food in the land during a widespread famine.  Because their family was on the brink of starvation, people and animals alike,  Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt in search for food to sustain them through the famine.  Through a series of events and conversations, Joseph reveals who he is to his brothers.  I wish I could have seen the look on their faces.  Shock.  Dread.  Fear.  Unbelief.  Instead of casting them out from his presence to sure death, Joseph makes a profound statement we find in Genesis chapter 50:

“As for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about that many people should be kept alive, as they are this day.”  Genesis 50:20 (Amplified Bible)

Joseph went through an extremely painful life process.  He experienced being blindsided by his own brothers, being sold into slavery, being misrepresented by Potipher’s wife, enduring imprisonment and a lengthy separation from his family.  If Joseph did not have a mature, real, lasting relationship with God, following Him and trusting in His will for his life, he would not have been the person God used to continue the line of Israel.  Remember, Jacob, Joseph’s father became Israel.  Israel became the twelve tribes ~ God’s chosen people.  Out of the tribe of Judah came our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Through all the pain I am sure Joseph in hind-sight is thankful God chose him to walk that walk. 

Ruth…

Ruth became one of my favorite people in the Bible many years ago when I went through a verse by verse Bible Study of her book at our church.  What I found out about her early adult years was as follows:

·         She married

·         Her father-in-law died

·         Her husband died

·         Her brother-in-law died

·         Her sister-in-law went back to her family

·         Ruth committed to take care of her mother-in-law, Naomi

·         She worked the field, gleaning from the scraps to bring food home for them

This was anything but “the glamorous life”.  What tremendous pain and disappointment Ruth faced early on in her life.  What she found in Naomi’s God, the God who would eventually become her God, made all the difference in her life.  She was determined to walk through the uncomfortable even the painful to be fully mature in Him. 

¹⁶ But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. ¹⁷ Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."  Ruth 1:16,17 (NIV)

What if Ruth ran from what God had laid before her?  What if she said “this is way too painful for me” and fled from His presence.  I am sure we would not find her mentioned in the lineage of Christ found in Matthew 1:2-6,

Abraham had Isaac, Isaac had Jacob,
   Jacob had Judah and his brothers,
   Judah had Perez and Zerah (the mother was Tamar),
   Perez had Hezron, Hezron had Aram, Aram had Amminadab,
   Amminadab had Nahshon, Nahshon had Salmon,
   Salmon had Boaz (his mother was Rahab),
   Boaz had Obed (Ruth was the mother),
   Obed had Jesse,
   Jesse had David, and David became king.

Those of us who walk the way of the cross do so because we love Him; however the dividends are out of this world! 

Stephen…

Fortunately we do not experience the physical pain and torture some of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ around the world face on a daily basis.  Emotional pain is lasting, but physical torture can be life-threatening.  As I looked for one more person to mention Stephen came to the forefront of my mind.  Stephen loved Christ.  He followed Christ.  He followed Him to the death ~ his death.  Because Stephen was empowered by the Holy Spirit to do wonders and miracles, speaking with such wisdom the “religious” leaders could not resist his speaking, they decided to do away with him.  They found people willing to bring false allegations against Stephen which would, in turn allow the leaders to quiet him.  Instead of hushing him, Stephen spoke with even more bravery in Acts 7.  He did not allow conjured up accusations against him to suppress the message of Christ.  When all the dust settled a decision was made to stone Stephen.  Now, this morning I accidentally hit my hand on our credenza in our front room.  OUCH, did it hurt.  Now, imagine if you will, Stephen kneeled in the midst of an angry crowd.  They choose a stone ~ some large, some sharp~ and set aim on Stephen.  One by one the stones come flying.  Remember, this was stoning unto death, not just stoning unto bruise.  As he endured the pain, the intense pain, he knelt, not just before his accusers and judges, but before His Heavenly Father.  I find Acts 7:56 to be one of the most profound scriptures in all the Word.  As Stephen kneels he looks up into the heavens and makes this statement:

“And (he) said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” (KJV)

In scripture when we see an account written about Jesus being by His Father we usually read Jesus is “sitting” at the right hand of the Father.  Now get this…it forever changed me…  In this Acts scripture Jesus is standing.  A standing ovation is given by the Savior of the world.  Don’t tell me Jesus doesn’t recognize our pain ~ He stands to demonstrate His love for us, appreciation for our stance and honor of our sacrifice.

Why does it have to hurt so badly?  Because it just does.  As we look toward tomorrow, Easter Sunday, we’ll celebrate our risen Savior.  This is the biggest Christian holiday we observe.  But before the dawn there was the painful, dark Good Friday. 

Isaiah 53 (KJV) ~

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.  He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

When the pain of life comes, rejoice!  He is maturing you, your walk and your relationship with Him.

In Him,

Stefanie

 

Comments

[Michelle Pilaczynski]

Stefanie - thanks again. I repeated the words All things through God are possible but, not always painless many many times today. How true this is. I am so blessed to have Godly women apart of my life to help me grow as a christian. There is not a day goes by that I dont think about the ordeal Mike and our family went thru in in 2008. We truly felt Gods presence and we were never ALONE. It strengthened our walk with The Lord. I wouldnt trade that for anything. We love our Lord and are willing to serve him in any way we can. We KNOW he loves us, we Know that we are never alone in anything we do. We KNOW we can do nothing without HIM! What a blessing to finally know this and realize this. I love you very much and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness and your beautiful heart and love for the Lord. For sharing it with others - especially ME! lol - love you.

[Amber Flowers]

I love reading your posts (: even though I am late commenting I wanted you to know what you pointed out about Jesus standing was awesome - thanks for sharing that!! Love you