Philip. 4:13 I Can Do Everything Through Him Who Gives Me Strength.

We are weak. We are heavy-laden. We are powerless on so many levels. Our pain makes us even weaker. We can do more and be more even in our pain…all through the power of God. We have no way seeing our impact upon the world. If we could see our life and our struggles, we would also see our victories in Christ our Savior. Mind you, we do have victories and many of them. The Lord keeps us blind to power so we will remain His humble servants. He knows the impact of our life. He knows the greatest moments of our life are those moments we spend in humble submission as we do His work and will. But what about that word "everything?" Certainly no one can do everything in the world. However, Christ has made it so we can do everything He needs us to do. Even in our pain, Christ makes a way for us to do everything He has deemed us to do.

1 Cor. 12:11 All These Are The Work Of One And The Same Spirit, And He Gives Them To Each One, Just As He Determines.

Pain makes things so unequal. When things are unequal we so often cry out "unfair" to others and even to God. No, a good, godly, righteous person does not deserve pain. So what is God doing or not doing here to put pain upon us? We must remember, God is not our source of pain. The advocate, Satan, the evil one delivers the terrible blows of pain upon us. But why doesn't God stop the pain? Certainly God has the power to stop the pain. Perhaps this will suffice as a partial answer. Imagine everything in our reality is a tiny piece of an infinite jig-saw puzzle. Every little piece has a certain place. In the perfect kingdom waiting for us, all the pieces fit together in perfect ways. In our present reality or our present kingdom where pain, suffering, and death occur, Satan has made pieces of the puzzle not fit together as the pieces should. At the same time, God is with us, trying to get us to move pieces of our puzzle around so when we see Him, the utmost perfection will be achieved. The utmost perfection will be achieved not just by God the Father, but by us working with God the Father in a time of communion with Him. Only God knows what we need as He determines. God will deliver to us the perfect way to make every piece of our life fit perfectly into His plans in a time of utmost perfection lasting forever.

1 Cor. 4:2 Now It Is Required That Those Who Have Been Given A Trust Must Prove Faithful.

Pain must never be an excuse to excuse ourselves from doing and being all Christ wants us to do and be. Our pain must never be used by us to relieve us from being faithful to all Christ wants us to do and be. When we are assaulted by our pain, we must stay the course and never give up. When we are assaulted by our pain, we must provide living proof we are worthy of Christ's trust in us. Of course, we know we falter because of our pain. We know we fall down because we hurt. However, even though we falter, we must continue to live in repentance for we must attempt to prove ourselves before God.

1 Cor. 12:7 Now To Each One The Manifestation Of The Spirit Is Given For The Common Good.

When you hurt you need a supply of extra. You need extra energy, extra optimism, extra vision, extra compassion for others, and an extra touch from God. If we did not have the touch of God through the Holy Spirit, our world would crumble into a heap of darkness. On an individual level, those of us who try to live within the power and love of God indeed possess His infinite extras. Even in your pain, you can do the right thing, say the right thing, and think the right thing. When you falter, you ask Christ for forgiveness and pray for His strength to do right in the future.

Matthew 25:14 "Again, It Will Be Like A Man Going On A Journey, Who Called His Servants And Entrusted His Property To Them. 15 To One He Gave Five Talents Of Money, To Another Two Talents, And To Another One Talent, Each According To His Ability. Then He Went On His Journey.

Does someone in pain, perhaps someone who lives in pain for years or decades, get off easy by God? Are those of us who live in pain held less responsible by God because we are in pain? Does God hold people in pain less responsible for their life and for the talents they hold than someone who is not in pain? Short answer: No. When we are in pain we have more of a load to carry than others not in pain. With increased pain comes increased expectations from God for us to live a more righteous and godly life. Our pain is not a talent as we think of talents. Our pain is not a blessing, at least on the surface. However, our pain can make us dig deeper for God's wisdom. Our pain can make us hone and sharpen our intellect. Our pain can make us more insightful and more humble before our Lord and Master. So what are we to do with this hidden "talent" others would call a detriment but we call pain? Like all talents, we are to invest all God has given us for His glory and grace.

Exodus 33:13 If You Are Pleased With Me, Teach Me Your Ways So I May Know You And Continue To Find Favor With You. Remember That This Nation Is Your People." 14 The Lord Replied, "My Presence Will Go With You, And I Will Give You Rest."

Nothing can wear us out like pain. Nothing can wear us down like pain. Truly, in pain we can be down and out. Only those of us who have suffered pain for an extended length of time can truly understand the soul-killing power of pain. So many times, in our pain we want to give up and give in. However, giving up and giving in is not the will of God for us. In the arms of Christ Jesus, our soul will never die no matter our pain. In Christ, we have a personal eternal power within us to keep us going until we see Him face to face. When we deal with pain, we must remember we are to reach above the horizon of this time and place so we connect to the power of God who is over us, under us, and all around us. We must not be content to sit in our present dark reality when the reality of Christ's eternal light and love is within our grasp. Instead, we must remind ourselves we possess an unlimited power beyond the invincible.

Matthew 9:29 Then He Touched Their Eyes And Said, "According To Your Faith Will It Be Done To You";

In pain, your faith is weakened. In pain, your faith can be made as nothing. But why? Answer: In pain your faith is diminished because Satan wants your faith diminished. Satan causes the pain. Satan causes the pain knowing the outcome of the pain is a diminished ability to believe, hope, and trust in the power of God. Of course you must put forth the effort toward believing, hoping, and trusting. However, the pain still weakens you no matter what motions we show. You must remember, even when you are weakened by your pain, even when you force yourself to go through the motions, God is still with you in His love and grace. God loves you for trying, even when your faith is weak. Christ knows you need Him. Christ knows you need Him in ways even you do not know. Christ knows all your needs. When you have the faith to battle through your pain, Christ Jesus will bless you and keep you forever. Even when you fall short because of your pain, Christ cares more about what you try to do for Him than about what you think you are accomplishing for Him.

Luke 24:31 Then Their Eyes Were Opened And They Recognized Him, And He Disappeared From Their Sight. 32 They Asked Each Other, "Were Not Our Hearts Burning Within Us While He Talked With Us On The Road And Opened The Scriptures To Us?"

In pain, it seems we have the Lord then we do not have Him. Our pain blinds us and although we do not want it so, we lose Him. The point of this verse is this…He is with us always. Christ is not always visible to us. Although invisible to us, Christ is always with us in our heart, mind, and soul through the actions of the Holy Spirit. When we are lost, He is still with us to guide us. When we make mistakes, He is with us to give us needed corrections. Our weakness in faith is and will be bolstered when we look up to Him. Even in our weakness in faith, He will give us strength and make our hearts burn to do better to be righteous, holy, godly, and devout.

James 1:6 But When He Asks, He Must Believe And Not Doubt, Because He Who Doubts Is Like A Wave Of The Sea, Blown And Tossed By The Wind.

In pain, doubt is our evil enemy. Doubt is from Satan, faith is from God. Whatever godly dreams you dream will come true in this time or the next time. You must dream, for in your dreams rests your hope. In your hope, rests the outcomes of Christ's love and glory. Believe in your hopes and dreams for the force of your believing…even the moments of your future, spring from your believing.

Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus Answered, "Woman, You Have Great Faith! Your Request Is Granted." And Her Daughter Was Healed From That Very Hour.

In pain, we need faith. However, in faith our pain interferes with out faith and we are weakened. We are weakened by Satan's wiles and the afflictions of pain Satan puts upon us. In spite of our pain we can still reach up to Christ. We can still reach up to God who loves us in ways too numerous for us to count or know. Our acts of reaching up to Christ, our acts of asking Him to carry others over the mountains of their afflictions, are acts of faith. The greatest acts of faith are done under the heaviest pain and afflictions. The greatest acts of faith are done for the benefit of others rather than ourselves in the heaviest pain and afflictions. The greatest acts of faith begin and end in prayer.

Romans 8:15 For You Did Not Receive A Spirit That Makes You A Slave Again To Fear, But You Received The Spirit Of Sonship. And By Him We Cry, "Abba, Father."

Pain makes us fearful. Pain makes a slave to the fear our pain will destroy us. When pain comes so does fear. Under the power of Christ's love and grace, we are made free from the fear associated with pain. With Christ's power of love and grace, we are made free of our fear. In Heaven, we shall have no fear. In Heaven, we shall be free and free indeed. Even now, we can look up and in humility through love, see Christ reaching out to us. When we look up and see Him, we cry "Abba, Father."

Romans 15:13 May The God Of Hope Fill You With All Joy And Peace As You Trust In Him, So That You May Overflow With Hope By The Power Of The Holy Spirit.

In pain you need joy. In pain you need peace. Although you need joy and peace in your pain, joy and peace can seem far, far, away when you hurt. Pain kills joy. Pain kills peace. The power of Satan or satanic evil brings the pain to kill joy and peace within you. What are you to do? You are to trust in God. Trust in Him so you will overflow with hope brought to you by the power of the Holy Spirit. Do you see the war between the darkness and the Light here? Satan is trying to kill your joy and peace using Satan's weapon of pain while the Lord brings you victory through overflowing hope.

When you hurt look up to Christ Jesus. At some point in the future, your joy and peace will make your hurt go away.

Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself Testifies With Our Spirit That We Are God's Children.

When we hurt we are reduced down not of our own decision. When we hurt we need to know we are God's child. Pain makes us feel weak and too often helpless. However, we have the all powerful Father who really is our Father. When we hurt, we can look up to Him. When we hurt, we can have no fear because He is with us.

When we hurt and we want to quit…He tells us to keep going...because He is our Father.
When we hurt and we want to stop…He tells us "not this time" because He is our Father.
When we hurt and we fall down He picks us up…because He is our Father.

John 14:16 And I Will Ask The Father, And He Will Give You Another Counselor To Be With You Forever 17 The Spirit Of Truth. The World Cannot Accept Him, Because It Neither Sees Him Nor Knows Him. But You Know Him, For He Lives With You And Will Be In You.

The verse above is one of the most powerful verses in scripture. The verse above is THE most powerful verse in scripture for those of us who hurt. What the Lord is telling us is we will never be alone at any time ever. The power of God is with us forever. The love of God is with us forever. The healing force of God is with us forever now but more so when we cross over from our present life to our life in heaven. We must worship, live, and have our being in the power of His presence. The power of His presence is the reality of our Counselor who is now and who will always be with us forever.

Col. 3:16 Let The Word Of Christ Dwell In You Richly As You Teach And Admonish One Another With All Wisdom, And As You Sing Psalms, Hymns And Spiritual Songs With Gratitude In Your Hearts To God.

Even when you are devastated in pain, you can still have the indwelling love of God in your life. You may not have an overwhelming love of God all the time. You may have only tiny inklings of His love in your pain. However, you must live a determined life to keep going and keep praising Him. If you love Him now, if you have loved Him in the past, you have blessings to count. With your blessings to count, you have gratitude in your heart. Even when Christ pulls you forward through your pain, or even when Christ pushes you forward in your pain, your heart can still be touched or filled with gratitude. Gratitude brings happiness, even whey you hurt. Impossible? Happiness in your pain is not impossible for just a mortal human. Happiness is indeed possible for just a mortal human when you take on the cloak of immortality in Christ's power, love, and grace.

Ephes. 4:2 Be Completely Humble And Gentle; Be Patient, Bearing With One Another In Love.

When you hurt you are not patient. When you hurt you are not gentle because the pain destroys so much of your heart and soul. When you hurt you turn selfish and bearing with one another can seem to be an impossible burden. So what do you do when you hurt? You are to do as the Lord tells you to do. Let the pain make you more humble. Let the pain make you gentler than in the past. Go against your hurting heart, mind, soul, and body to be more patient. When you hurt, even if bearing another's burdens makes you hurt more, help others carry their burdens. Do all these things, even in your pain, and the Lord Jesus will bless you and keep you in greater measure now and in eternity. You will see Him. You will hear Him. In eternity you will live with His joy and peace in real time in a place where time is no more. In His eternity the impossible is the reality…His reality becomes your reality. In you and through you, peace, love, and joy shall abound forever.

John 15:7 If You Remain In Me And My Words Remain In You, Ask Whatever You Wish, And It Will Be Given You.

Question: OK, if these words are true, and I've given my life and soul over to Christ, and I have remained in Him by being faithful, why am I still in pain? Why am I still sick? Why has healing not come to me?

Answer: The game is not over yet. There is more time to put in. There is more work for you to do. I know these are hard words to accept. These are seemingly impossible words to accept. To try and accept these words, do all you can to let His love live within you. His words in you are the same as His love within you. Before you pray today, rest for awhile and let His love pour over you. Let His love sink in and become a part of you. Remember, some day soon, we know not exactly when, you shall live for eternity in Him and your pain will never come back.