HEBREWS 13:5 LET YOUR CONVERSATION BE WITHOUT COVETOUSNESS; AND BE CONTENT WITH SUCH THINGS AS YE HAVE: FOR HE HATH SAID, I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE. AS WE GROAN IN OUR PRESENT PAIN AND SUFFERING, WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING NEW BODIES WHEN CHRIST COMES BACK TO EARTH. IF WE SEE HIM FACE TO FACE IN HEAVEN BEFORE HIS RETURN TO EARTH, WE WILL STILL SEE HIM WITH NEW, PAIN-FREE BODIES. O HAPPY DAY! O HAPPY DAY! AS WE GROW IN THE WISDOM OF HOW MUCH GOD LOVES US AS HE CONTINUALLY POURS HIS BLESSINGS OVER US, EVEN IN OUR PAIN IN OUR DARKEST HOUR, OUR UPWARD SOARING ADORATION CAN BECOME OUR EVERYDAY REALITY. WE MUST NOT BE DELUDED BY THE EVIL ONE INTO THINKING GOD'S LOVE AND BLESSINGS ARE NOT REAL OR NOT A PART OF OUR LIFE. WE MUST REAFFIRM EACH HOUR HOW GOD CONTINUALLY BLESSES US, EVEN IN OUR PAIN AND DARKNESS. SUFFERING AND PAIN CAN CAUSE US TO LOSE FAITH. IN OUR PAIN, DOUBTS CREEP IN. WE CAN BEGIN TO BELIEVE THERE IS NO GOD BECAUSE PAIN SEPARATES US FROM GOD. HOWEVER, AS WE LOSE FAITH, BECAUSE CHRIST LOVES US IN WAYS UNCOUNTABLE, HE GIVES US HEALING ASSURANCE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR DOUBTS CAUSED BY OUR SUFFERING. AS WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO PUSH OUR PAIN AND SUFFERING ASIDE SO WE CAN MAKE ROOM FOR HIS LOVE IN OUR HEART, HE WILL FILL UP OUR EMPTINESS. AS HE FILLS UP OUR EMPTINESS, WE WILL EXPERIENCE HIS HEALING POWER IN OUR HEART AND SOUL. AS WE WALK IN HIS LOVE, HIS LOVE PRESENTS TO US A FORM OF INSULATION FROM THE DARKNESS AND PAIN OF THE WORLD. HE WILL NOT LEAVE US AS ORPHANS, IN OUR PAIN, OR OUT OF OUR PAIN. HE WILL NOT LEAVE US AS ORPHANS BECAUSE HE LOVES US. IN DEALING WITH OUR PAIN AND SUFFERING, WE MUST ALWAYS CONSIDER CHRIST'S SUFFERING UPON THE CROSS. AS YOU SURVEY AND TAKE IN CHRIST'S SUFFERING UPON THE CROSS, YOUR ISSUES ARE DIMINISHED AND YOU THEN BECOME A VICTOR OVER YOUR ISSUES. GOD'S WILL IS ALWAYS TO SEE YOU LIVE A VICTORIOUS LIFE, IN SPITE OF ALL OBSTACLES, ODDS, MISFORTUNES, PAINS, AND SUFFERING. YOUR JOB, AS ONE OF CHRIST'S OWN, IS SEE TO IT YOU GIVE 110 PER CENT EFFORT TO DELIVER FOR CHRIST WHAT CHRIST WILLS FROM YOU.

As we groan in our present pain and suffering, we can look forward to getting new bodies when Christ comes back to earth. If we see Him face to face in heaven before His return to earth, we will still see Him with new, pain-free bodies. O happy day! O happy day!

As we grow in the wisdom of how much God loves us as He continually pours His blessings over us, even in our pain in our darkest hour, our upward soaring adoration can become our everyday reality. We must not be deluded by the evil one into thinking God's love and blessings are not real or not a part of our life. We must reaffirm each hour how God continually blesses us, even in our pain and darkness.

Suffering and pain can cause us to lose faith. In our pain, doubts creep in. We can begin to believe there is no God because pain separates us from God. However, as we lose faith, because Christ loves us in ways uncountable, He gives us healing assurance in the middle of our doubts caused by our suffering.

As we make every effort to push our pain and suffering aside so we can make room for His love in our heart, He will fill up our emptiness. As He fills up our emptiness, we will experience His healing power in our heart and soul.

As we walk in His love, His love presents to us a form of insulation from the darkness and pain of the world. He will not leave us as orphans, in our pain, or out of our pain. He will not leave us as orphans because He loves us.

In dealing with our pain and suffering, we must always consider Christ's suffering upon the cross. As you survey and take in Christ's suffering upon the cross, your issues are diminished and you then become a victor over your issues. God's will is always to see you live a victorious life, in spite of all obstacles, odds, misfortunes, pains, and suffering. Your job, as one of Christ's own, is see to it you give 110 per cent effort to deliver for Christ what Christ wills from you.

MATTHEW 28:20 AND SURELY I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE.

Are you seeking the kingdom of Heaven in a world of glamour and glitz? Are you seeking the kingdom of Heaven in a world full of pain and suffering? On one hand, when our faith is strong and our life is in one of those phases where everything falls into place, we are not so concerned about the kingdom of Heaven. However, when pain comes, we want answers. When pain comes, we need help and we need help now. Do not be dismayed. Do not be puzzled. Even your pain can be used by you to glorify God in your life and in the life of others. Even when you keep silent about your pain when you are with others, Christ is working for you to make His love real in your life and in the life of others. We must learn to be patient in our pain. We must learn to let the Lord work for us even when we cannot see Him, hear Him, or know of His presence.

Although we may think we are alone, especially in moments of our pain, we are never alone. The pain TRIES to separate us from God. If we look, we can see how and why Satan wants us in pain. If we look, we can see pain is Satan's ultimate weapon against us. What do we do? What counter weapon do we have? Our greatest counter weapon against pain is meditating, embracing, and attempting to touch love. We may not be skilled in touching love. We may be full of doubts when we try to bring love into our life in the middle of our pain. However, if we submit ourselves to Christ's love...His love already within us, He will not fail us.

Although we might think suffering has no purpose, we are wrong because when we suffer and "hang tough" by holding on to our faith in Christ, battles are being won for Christ. So much happens to us and to the universe when we are in pain, we do not know or appreciate how important we are to the overall plan of God. When we want to give up the battle, we do not see how millions of person's we do not know are tied to us. We do not know how our single battle can affect the course of nations. We are all connected to each other. When we win one hour of our life for Christ by standing against the suffering, our victory in one hour transcends our life and the lives of thousands or millions of persons we do not know.

Although you cannot hear Him with your earthly ears, you can sense His presence, even when the evil one tries to numb you with pain and suffering. The kingdom of God is within. All of who God is, is within you this moment. The way to experience God is to go within your heart, mind, and soul. When you go deep enough into your heart, mind, and soul, you will see Christ waiting for you. Within you, you can hear Christ tell you how much He loves you. Within you, you can find the purpose of your life as seen by Christ. Within you, you will find the glory of God in real ways in real time.

Although your life may be covered over in all kinds of pain, stress, and darkness within your heart, there is a real live person called Jesus Christ who calls you every second. Christ does not call you to take something from you because He is not selfish. Christ calls you to surrender all of your burdens to Him. He cannot and will not hurt you. Christ is standing next to you to help you through every difficult moment. Christ is standing next to you because He loves you more than any person on earth. At this very moment, Christ is real. Although your pain may have separated you from Him for a little while, He will never leave you or forsake you. Even when doubt has attacked you because of your pain, Christ is always working to keep you safe with Him.

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

All suffering, one way or another, is from Satan.

When you reach heaven, all pain and suffering will be gone. Although we believe this idea to be true, our pain and suffering tries to block our belief in heaven as a real place in real time. The satanic evil causing pain is insidious. Once we understand the purpose of Satan in putting pain upon us is to undermine our faith, we can then come back and stand against the influence of pain upon our heart and soul. Christ may not make our pain go away. What Christ will do is give us power to never relent, never give in, and never give up as we battle Satan, who makes us suffer.

The suffering of Christ was caused by human sin. Human sin was the result of Satan coming into the garden of Eden and causing Adam and Eve to fall away from God. Satan attacks each of us, just as Satan attacked Adam and Eve. All Christ's pain and suffering was put upon Christ at the hands of Satan. Satan was not content to make human beings fall. Satan wanted Christ to fall. Satan wanted Christ to renounce His Father in heaven. However, Christ has such love for each of us Christ would not turn away from His Father in heaven. Christ will never turn away from any of us. What will be our response? Will we remain rebellious and always turn away from Christ, or will we change and turn toward our Lord who suffered and died for each of us?

Many of our rewards for staying faithful during suffering come to us when we reach Heaven. We do not know and we will never know how wonderful heaven will be. We will know when we cross over from death to life everlasting the full and complete power, love, and light of Christ. We must stay faithful not to get a reward on earth or in heaven. We must stay faithful because Christ loves us and we love Him. We must stay faithful because we want to serve Him, to give to Him, rather than to get from Him.

How we experience joy and peace in pain is a mystery. However, our experience and testimony about this mystery confirms our experience. In our human experience, we find our ability to stand against pain and suffering is enhanced when we begin to surrender our pain and suffering up to God. Surrendering up to God is not easy. Surrendering up to God may be the most difficult task any of us ever accomplish. However, if we can let God touch our hurt, we will experience His joy and peace, even when we hurt.

Although it may sound ludicrous in the beginning when your pain is the worst, as you progress in the healing process in Christ's arms, later on the scars from the hurt can be counted as blessings. After we have surrendered up our pain, we can experience the healing love of Christ. At the moment we surrender up our pain, at the very instant we let Christ touch our pain, Christ also touches us. This moment of touching, this instant, when Christ's presence in our pain, is the instant we can then exclaim as His blessing in our life.

Hebrews 13:6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

All of us have moments when we are attacked on various levels by the darkness and we wonder if life is worth the struggle, the heartache, the grief, and the pain. In our darkness, we must affirm God is real. We must affirm Christ loves us. In our dark moments we must proclaim His Light is more powerful than our darkness. We must not become disillusioned, for even in our proclamations made when we have no sense of God, we must see how we are able to make these proclamations because we believe without evidence. In pain, pure faith makes us proclaim Him.

A Lie: "You will have the same pain tomorrow you had today." The quoted statement is a lie because your pain will not be the same because you will be different…you will have grown…you will have matured…you will have the power live in spite of the pain.

A painful memory you want erased may remain, but God's love can give you new memories to store up and new memories to recall…new memories that will stand in stark contrast to your painful memories. In God's love and grace, the hurt and still will be gone. In the same way, forgiveness by us toward those who hurt us will empower us and take away the sting of the hurt.

A past littered with mistakes, pain, and suffering can be turned into a treasure of wisdom, compassion, and understanding in our desire to be a true child of God. To undergo this kind of transformation requires we use our will to surrender our all to Christ.

In our pain, achieving a oneness with God may take us to a place we would really not rather go because oneness with God requires we do work with our heart, mind, and soul…painfully honest work, yet work with consequences quite profound and life changing. To be one with God requires a surrender of all we are, all we ever hope to be, including the part of us we call sin. When we surrender all, we also must turn away from our sin and all prostrate on the ground at the foot of Christ's cross.

All other signs, all other words of wisdom, all other prophecies, all other truths, even your pain becomes tiny in importance when compared to the suffering Christ endured on the cross just for you.

Letters and remarks from Brother Lawrence (2)

This paragraph is from the chapter entitled "Eleventh Letter" in this book. This book was written or dictated about 1700, perhaps a bit later on in 1700's. The book originally appeared in French. The differences in writing style and grammar construction make it difficult to read compared to today's customs. However, read and read again. Perhaps you will be blessed as have many others. You can download the book from Gutenberg.org


I wish you could convince yourself that GOD is often (in some sense) nearer to us, and more effectually present with us, in sickness than in health. Rely upon no other Physician; for, according to my apprehension, He reserves your cure to Himself. Put, then, all your trust in Him, and you will soon find the effects of it in your recovery, which we often retard by putting greater confidence in physic than in GOD. Whatever remedies you make use of, they will succeed only so far as He permits. When pains come from GOD, He only can cure them. He often sends diseases of the body to cure those of the soul. Comfort yourself with the sovereign Physician both of the soul and body. Be satisfied with the condition in which GOD places you: however happy you may think me, I envy you. Pains and sufferings would be a paradise to me while I should suffer with my GOD; and the greatest pleasures would be hell to me if I could relish them without Him. All my consolation would be to suffer something for His sake.

Brother of the Resurrection Lawrence. The Practice of the Presence of God the Best Rule of a Holy Life

Letters and remarks from Brother Lawrence

ELEVENTH LETTER.

This is paragraph one from the chapter entitled "Eleventh Letter" from in this book. This book was written or dictated about 1700 perhaps a bit later on in 1700's. The book originally appeared in French. The differences in writing style and grammar construction make it difficult to read compared to today's customs. However, read and read again. Perhaps you will be blessed as have many others. You can download the book from Gutenberg.org

"I do not pray that you may be delivered from your pains, but I pray GOD earnestly that He would give you strength and patience to bear them as long as He pleases. Comfort yourself with Him who holds you fastened to the cross. He will loose you when He thinks fit. Happy those who suffer with Him: accustom yourself to suffer in that manner, and seek from Him the strength to endure as much, and as long, as He shall judge to be necessary for you. The men of the world do not comprehend these truths, nor is it to be wondered at, since they suffer like what they are, and not like Christians. They consider sickness as a pain to nature, and not as a favor from GOD; and seeing it only in that light, they find nothing in it but grief and distress. But those who consider sickness as coming from the hand of GOD, as the effect of His mercy, and the means which He employs for their salvation—such, commonly find in it great sweetness and sensible consolation."

Brother of the Resurrection Lawrence. The Practice of the Presence of God the Best Rule of a Holy Life.

Reflections On His Word

Spiritual Light In The Darkness Of Pain

John 12:46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

The Darkness Is Dispelled By The Light

John 1:9 "The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world."

Our Hope In Suffering

John 14:28 "You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I."

Peace In Suffering
No Turmoil In Pain
Pain We Can Manage
Turmoil Manages Us But We Can Manage The Turmoil
Physical Pain Is Soothed By Peace
No Anxiety

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give_you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

You are not alone in suffering
God brings comfort and help

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--"