John 5:24 "I Tell You The Truth, Whoever Hears My Word And Believes Him Who Sent Me Has Eternal Life And Will Not Be Condemned; He Has Crossed Over From Death To Life."

Our pain can make life pretty awful. Not only do we face the horrors of terrorism, crime, violence, and temptations, but we also face the grim reality of pain. We also face the grim reality of our personal death. Our life is like being on death row, not knowing the day, hour, or minute the guards are going to come to take us for our execution. If we are honest, we do know we really ARE on death row. In addition, we do not know the day, hour, or minute of our impending death. Not only are we in pain, but we are all condemned to die. What a terrible fate we have! But wait! Our soul, our person, our identity, our consciousness, the very part of us we refer to as "me" is not going to die. But wait! There is even more good news. The most important news of all time is…we can have eternal life after our body goes to sleep in death. Not only can we have eternal life for our conscious minds, but we can also have an eternal life in a place of beauty, wonder, happiness, serenity, and love…a place called heaven.

John 5:24 "I Tell You The Truth, Whoever Hears My Word And Believes Him Who Sent Me Has Eternal Life And Will Not Be Condemned; He Has Crossed Over From Death To Life."

Our pain can make life pretty awful. Not only do we face the horrors of terrorism, crime, violence, and temptations, but we also face the grim reality of pain. We also face the grim reality of our personal death. Our life is like being on death row, not knowing the day, hour, or minute the guards are going to come to take us for our execution. If we are honest, we do know we really ARE on death row. In addition, we do not know the day, hour, or minute of our impending death. Not only are we in pain, but we are all condemned to die. What a terrible fate we have! But wait! Our soul, our person, our identity, our consciousness, the very part of us we refer to as "me" is not going to die. But wait! There is even more good news. The most important news of all time is…we can have eternal life after our body goes to sleep in death. Not only can we have eternal life for our conscious minds, but we can also have an eternal life in a place of beauty, wonder, happiness, serenity, and love…a place called heaven.

Matthew 1:21 She Will Give Birth To A Son,…

No human being receives some kind of special protection from pain and suffering. Every person suffers to some extent one way or another. The Blessed Virgin suffered likely suffered the pain of child birth. She worried about Christ possibly getting lost as a boy. Her heart was pierced with the most incredible of pains as she looked upon Christ being crucified. For all people there is a place called heaven if we choose Christ to be Lord of our life. In the life of Jesus, there was no protection from pain and suffering. He suffered as we suffer. He hurt as we hurt. In our human way of thinking, we would, as humans, expect special protection for Mary and Joseph from pain. In fact, there was no protection. Likewise for us, we who are called by God to do His will each day will find there will be pain and suffering in our life. However, for you and me, a mansion sits waiting in the midst of paradise. In our mansion in Heaven we will forever be immersed in God's peace and joy.

1 Peter 1:7 These Have Come So That Your Faith--Of Greater Worth Than Gold, Which Perishes Even Though Refined By Fire--May Be Proved Genuine And May Result In Praise, Glory And Honor When Jesus Christ Is Revealed.

Faith in God is the foundation of our life, especially if we must live in pain. Without faith during our trials, we are cut off and isolated. Being cut off and isolated is unhealthy and for some people, dangerous. Being cut off and isolated can make people believe they have nothing to lose…even believing their life is worthless and without meaning or purpose. In your walk every day with God, remember your walk is to be a walk of the purest faith, even in pain. Being in pain requires you believe in the power of God in spite of what seems to be incredible evidence against believing. We are to be like so many Bible characters of renown who maintained their faith in God in all ways and under all circumstances.

Luke 7:21 At That Very Time Jesus Cured Many Who Had Diseases, Sicknesses And Evil Spirits, And Gave Sight To Many Who Were Blind.

We will all be cured. Those of us who believe in the name of Christ, at the instant of our transformation into our new life in heaven will be cured. Until then, we must hope and pray for others even when we are in pain and need a cure ourselves. Some people are blessed with perfect health from birth. Other people are cursed with poor health from the beginning. Some people never experience chronic pain. Other people are in chronic pain for decades. If faith was the only way to perfect health the hospitals would all be empty and the churches would all be full. Perfect health may come to us for awhile but perfect health may not endure. Most importantly, the focus of our life whether we are in pain or not in pain must be upon Christ and Him only. Reaching out to Christ each day brings about a time when we will be cured, either on earth or definitely in heaven. We must not doubt our cure is waiting. We must not doubt we will see an end to our pain, sickness, and trials unending. We must not doubt!!!

Proverbs 12:22 The LORD Detests Lying Lips, But He Delights In Men Who Are Truthful.

Telling the truth about our life circumstances can be difficult if we perceive we lack love because of our loneliness. Pain brings loneliness. Pain cancels out love. The pain of loneliness can be as intense as physical pain. No matter what kind of pain we experience, we must be honest. When we are honest about our pain or any of our life circumstances, we have a chance to take some kind of action on the issues we face. To speak the truth to ourselves begins to chip away at the stranglehold falsehoods put upon our heart, life, and soul. When we are honest and we surrender up to God all our problems and issues, we give Him a chance to pour His healing love into our life. We are to take action on every issue, especially the action of praying for others so others will not be negatively influenced by our pain regardless of our pain's source. To bring Christ and His healing love into our life we are to first express our love and gratitude to Him and for Him. Next, we are to find a way to send Christ's love out to others in meaningful ways.

Proverbs 13:5 The Righteous Hate What Is False, But The Wicked Bring Shame And Disgrace

Facing or telling the truth about your life, even facing the truth about your pain is difficult. Telling yourself the truth means you have to tell yourself things that are painful, hurtful, or embarrassing. Sometimes living a lie, even about your pain or the consequences of your pain, can seem to be easier than telling the truth. However, living a lie takes away your freedom. Telling the truth, brings you freedom, even when the truth is hurtful. Telling yourself the truth can even put more pain on top of the pain you already have. Admitting we are helpless about our pain can be a difficult admission to make. Some of the pain of our life can be the result of our sin. To admit we cause some of the pain and darkness in our life and in the life of others can often be too much for us to bear. In response, we then lie to ourselves rather than telling ourselves the truth. However, there is a glorious and grand result from telling ourselves the truth about our life. When we tell ourselves the truth, we are set free from our prison. When we tell ourselves the truth, we are released from the prison of our lies, freed from the prison of our guilt, and set free from the chains of our denial.

Psalm 61:12 With God We Will Gain The Victory, And He Will Trample Down Our Enemies.

The human soul is tortured in temptation when we are devout and resist the temptation. The human body is tortured when we are in physical or emotional pain. Pain and temptation reduce us and degrade us. We can and sometimes do believe God has forgotten us during our greatest trials of pain and temptation. Pain and temptation are Satan's weapons of mass destruction as Satan makes us the target. In this great battle with Satan, Christ does not leave us without resources. The Holy Spirit full of power to heal, restore, and preserve will guard you and keep you. We must never give up or give in to our trials. We must persevere no matter what the cost is to us. We must keep on keeping on so Christ in us empowers us to win.

When pain blinds you, you must remember, with God you can have a vision beyond what you physically see. When you feel the pain, you must proclaim God's love in your heart, even when your pain causes you to not feel His love. Your proclamation of Christ's love brings His presence. You must call upon God to break the chains of pain enslaving you. Christ's freedom and light bring you respite and relief in your pain.

2 Corinthians 8:2 Out Of The Most Severe Trial, Their Overflowing Joy And Their Extreme Poverty Welled Up In Rich Generosity. 3 For I Testify That They Gave As Much As They Were Able, And Even Beyond Their Ability.

Our greatest test of faith is giving in pain. Our severest test of faith is not giving till it hurts. Our severest test of faith is giving while it hurts. Giving is easy when we are free of pain and trials. Giving can be excruciatingly difficult when we are in pain because pain turns us inward, making us selfish. In pain, our faith is eroded as the underpinnings of our heart, mind, and soul are eaten away. In the midst of our great test of faith as we experience painful trials, Christ understands. In our pain Christ will come to us and be with us so we are empowered to give through Him. Christ will give us His power of love so we may give to others as we overcome our trials even when our pain persists. The satanic power of evil tries to block out the healing light of Christ. In the darkness of pain, we can get lost, we no longer give, and we lose our focus upon Christ. Yet, we must not be dismayed or discouraged. We must not be dismayed or discouraged because we are the victors over darkness, pain, suffering, and evil. We are the victors because we have won eternal life through Christ.

Psalms 136:26 Give Thanks To The God Of Heaven. His Love Endures Forever.

When you are in the love of God, even in your pain, His love shall never end. His love shall help you win every personal war with evil even when battles are lost here on earth, even in pain. The love of God cures every sickness now or later in heaven in spite of your pain. Even in pain, His love shall defeat every enemy. Even in pain, His love shall illumine every darkness. Even in pain, His love shall ban every grief. Even in pain, His love shall touch your heart. Even in pain, His love shall heal every wound. Even in pain, His love shall bring every peace. Even in pain, His love shall bring you comfort. Even in your pain, His love shall turn your every moment into glory.

Psalms 121:3 O Israel, Put Your Hope In The Lord Both Now And Forevermore.

Heaven is full of hope. Since heaven is infinite, how much hope is there? When the pain comes upon you, your hope can slip away. When pain comes upon you, Christ is ready to pour His hope from heaven upon you. In pain or at any other time, you need hope to fuel you and keep you going. Your heart and soul need hope to keep you moving forward. When hopelessness is trying to destroy you, Christ will come and intervene for you. Christ will come to you in your darkness and give you the power of hope. The light of Christ is the hope of the world. The light of Christ is your personal hope for living each moment. The devastation of pain is erased by Christ's hope. When the pain within your heart seeks to destroy you, the comfort of Christ and His hope give you renewed vision and purpose in spite of the pain. The hope of God falls down upon you to give you new visions of His work He calls you to do.

Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, Brothers, Since We Have Confidence To Enter The Most Holy Place By The Blood Of Jesus, 20 By A New And Living Way Opened For Us Through The Curtain, That Is, His Body, 21 And Since We Have A Great Priest Over The House Of God, 22 Let Us Draw Near To God

Whether you know it or not, you walk with God every moment. When you think you are alone, you are not, for God is with you. When you think no one cares about you, He is with you and caring about you all the while. When you think God is far off, He is close by. When it seems God has died, He is yet living within you. When you cannot reach Him because of your pain and suffering, He is within you still. When you think there is no hope, the love of God is burning and alive within you while giving you unlimited tomorrows. When you think everything has come to an end for you, Christ's eternal glory is just ahead. When you are dismayed and disappointed in the actions of others, God's power and force of unfailing love can touch their life. When you are dismayed at the strife and destruction in the world, the gentle touch of Christ soothes your pain and brings joy where joy seems impossible.

Matthew 24:1 Jesus Left The Temple And Was Walking Away When His Disciples Came Up To Him To Call His Attention To Its Buildings. 2 "Do You See All These Things?" He Asked. "I Tell You The Truth, Not One Stone Here Will Be Left On Another; Every One Will Be Thrown Down."

Peace and joy in the middle of searing pain are possible because God is always present in the middle of searing pain. When we lose contact with God in our pain we must remember God has not abandoned us. We must continue to hold on to Christ’s reality even when Satan has destroyed our contact with the Lord. How we can experience the Lord’s peace in the middle of our pain is not known. However, we accept the reality of God's peace because we know we have had this experience of peace. In pain, the Lord’s love is above us, below us, and all around us. We live in God’s love, even when we are attacked with pain. No power in the universe can ever separate us from the love of God…even if we are in pain and we realistically believe God no longer exists because of our pain. In every darkness, in every trial unending, in every devastation, the power of God is the most certain reality in any reality.

1 Corinthians 3:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

How can we build a life when we are in pain? Answer: We can build a life in humility when we are in pain when we turn to Christ for wisdom and guidance. He will help us. Christ will give us the plans and guidance we need to live our life in spite of pain and suffering in our present hour. The choice you make this moment, in spite of your pain, must reflect Christ’s love in the world. Think before you act because many of the choices you make today will have eternal consequences. Your forgiveness today lasts forever. Your letting go of hurts caused by others resounds across eternity. When you choose to love in spite of your pain your choice spans the eons of time. When you surrender your will to Christ, He will bring His healing love and comfort upon you. Your humility in Christ will bring down His power to fill your heart.

1 Peter 1:3 In His Great Mercy He Has Given Us New Birth Into A Living Hope Through The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ From The Dead, 4 And Into An Inheritance That Can Never Perish, Spoil Or Fade--Kept In Heaven For You, 5 Who Through Faith Are Shielded By God's Power Until The Coming Of The Salvation That Is Ready To Be Revealed In The Last Time.

The power keeping you living and breathing is not your power, but God’s power. The power of God in you cannot be seen or heard. This same power of Christ, the power keeping you alive, can also give you a shield against the plague of pain upon you. For reasons we do not always know or understand, the power sustaining you does not always protect you in this life. What the power of God within you does do is give you a spirit refusing to quit until you see Jesus face to face. When others might give up when they are under attack, the power of God within you keeps you strong so you finish the race. The power of God giving us sustenance gives us the ability to commune with God on the deepest possible level. This same power of God gives us the ability to absorb the love God infused in all of His creation. When Satan attacks you, the love of God keeps you positively going in positive directions. Satan’s purpose is to destroy you by making your heart cold so the love of God does not exist within you. With Christ, you can resist. With Christ, you can always come back against every adversity to do God's will.

Hebrews 4:12 For The Word Of God Is Living And Active. Sharper Than Any Double-Edged Sword, It Penetrates Even To Dividing Soul And Spirit, Joints And Marrow; It Judges The Thoughts And Attitudes Of The Heart.

In a world full of pain, we can often starve to find a source of wisdom, truth, and love. Others may not understand what a life of pain is all about. There is a source of wisdom each of us can use whether we are in pain or not. The source is the Word of God, The Bible. For many people there is a huge disconnection with the Bible. People in pain may find the words of the Bible do not apply to them. People in pain want relief and words on a page do not always bring the relief needed. However, if a person in pain will open up his or her heart to the love of God found in every word of the Bible, every word will touch the heart and the pain. We must consider how much God loves us. We must consider how much God wants us to know Him and know His truth. If you have ever had a relationship with someone who gave you “the silent treatment” then you should know God is the opposite of a person who does not want to talk with you.

John 8:12 When Jesus Spoke Again To The People, He Said, "I Am The Light Of The World. Whoever Follows Me Will Never Walk In Darkness, But Will Have The Light Of Life."

Pain creates a condition in us where we get lost. We lose our bearings. We lose our moral center. We even lose Christ. When we reach a point in our pain where we are deep in darkness, Christ understands. In our darkness of pain, we can call upon Christ and He will lead us back to Him. Christ will lead us home. Christ’s love and grace will always be with us, no matter what. Christ’s love will always be a comfort to us. Even when we are far from Him, He is always near to us. Christ is never far away, because He lives within our heart. Christ’s presence in your life enables you to deal with every kind of pain, trial, and affliction. As much as our pain blinds us, Christ’s power within us removes our blindness. Christ gives us our sight, even in our blinding pain. When Christ restores our sight we no longer live in any kind of darkness. We may always have our pain. Yet, even if we have our pain, we shall see clearly how Christ is standing next to us every hour.

Mark 15:34 And At The Ninth Hour Jesus Cried Out In A Loud Voice, "Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani?"--Which Means, "My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?"

Every person knows what it means to be alone, even feeling forsaken. When you are alone and perhaps even feel forsaken, Christ understands. Christ was forsaken like us. We have all been lost. Satanic evil or Satan wants us to be lost and unable to find our way home. Pain makes us feel lost. Pain makes us feel separated from others even when these others are in the same room. Perhaps you feel forsaken and lost at this moment. If so, remember Christ knows every ounce of what you are feeling and experiencing. Christ is not just with us, He is within us in ways we do not always understand. When our pain runs so deep we seem to have lost our soul, Christ within us despises the pain we feel. Although we may think we are alone, especially in our pain, we are deceived because with Christ we are never alone.

Matthew 28:20 And Surely I Am With You Always, To The Very End Of The Age.

In times of pain, you must trust in Christ’s wisdom and grace. Whatever Christ does for you, He does to help you. What Christ does for you is of the utmost help to you. In your pain-filled loneliness, when you are alone and you need Him, Christ will show Himself to you in ways you can understand. He will be present with you and you will know about Him. In the present hour or any hour, when you need others who cannot be there for you, Christ lives within your heart. Christ lives within your heart to touch you to ease your pain of loneliness. When you are isolated and cannot move about as you want, Christ will touch your heart and heal you from the pain of your isolation.

John 5:7 "Sir," The Invalid Replied, "I Have No One To Help Me Into The Pool When The Water Is Stirred. While I Am Trying To Get In, Someone Else Goes Down Ahead Of Me." 8 Then Jesus Said To Him, "Get Up! Pick Up Your Mat And Walk." 9 At Once The Man Was Cured; He Picked Up His Mat And Walked.

Loneliness is one of the worst pains in human experience. Loneliness is especially painful when we encounter a time in our life when we need help. All of us come to points in our life when we need help. Some of us come to lonely points in our life where we have no one. The distress of loneliness is a part of being alive. The pain of loneliness can often be devastating. In loneliness, when you meet utter distress and find you have no one to help you, you can call out to Jesus. Christ Jesus is always listening. Jesus is always present with you. Jesus always wants to help you. Keep in mind, for your ultimate benefit, Christ may not help you in the way you want to be helped. Christ may not help you in the way you want because He knows what is best for you, even if you do not. There are times when Christ may help you in ways you might think are no help at all because He can see your life and what you need in ways you cannot see or know.

Luke 19:41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it

Jesus was not weeping over the streets, buildings, and other physical attributes of Jerusalem. Jesus was weeping over the hearts of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Jesus was weeping over the hearts of the inhabitants of earth…then and now. As we weep for others, as we hurt for them, we must take our weeping and hurting to the heart of Christ. He knows our heart pain, for He has hurt like we hurt. When another person is hurting, we may not be able to take away their pain. However, Christ brings them the comfort no one else can bring. When we are suffering with the hurt we feel for others, we can open our heart and life to Christ so He can use us in whatever way He wills. Let Christ lead you. Christ will help you be a healing witness to others in His name. When we open our heart to Christ, when we hurt for others, He is then able to give us the ability to speak words of comfort, words of solace, and words of enduring love to soothe the pain of the person we hold in our heart.

Colossians 3:12 Therefore, As God's Chosen People, Holy And Dearly Loved, Clothe Yourselves With Compassion, Kindness, Humility, Gentleness And Patience.

We may have our pain. However, our pain felt because of ourselves can be minor compared to the heartbreak we feel for others. Our heartbreak for others can be so deep and so intense we do not have words to express our pain. When we have a hurting heart for others, we can have every confidence Jesus is standing with us, experiencing our pain, pouring His healing love over us. In deep heartbreak, we must see Jesus in our mind's eye and in our heart enveloping us in His love. In the times of our weeping for others, we must see Christ holding them in the palm of His hand. Praying for a person for whom we hurt can be a miraculous gift to the person who is suffering. When it seems we are helpless on our own, God is not helpless to act.

Proverbs 18:14 A Man's Spirit Sustains Him In Sickness, But A Crushed Spirit Who Can Bear?

Most people face times of illness or sickness. Some illnesses or sicknesses can be a major circumstance lingering on for years. Other illnesses or sicknesses can be relatively minor and may go away in a few days. When we feel sick, we may not feel like praying, reading the Bible, or meditating upon the Lord's love. Even when we do not feel like praying, we must remember He is still with us. Even when we feel really, really awful physically, God is still with us. When we are ill, we still need to remember to pray, whether we feel like praying or not. When we pray during a time of illness, it may not seem like we are contacting Christ, but in faith, we know His is listening and working on our behalf. When we speak to the Lord in prayer, we must ask Him to keep our attitude positive. A positive attitude in sickness helps us defeat the darkness. When we rest our sickness in the Lord's hand, His love will temper the pain.

Psalms 72:19 Praise Be To His Glorious Name Forever; May The Whole Earth Be Filled With His Glory. Amen And Amen.

Christ is with you in your pain, even if you do not ask Him to be. When you feel unloved and deserted because you hurt, give Him praise for even the smallest of things in your life. Give Him praise for His pouring His love into your heart. When others do not understand you because of your pain-filled afflictions, Christ understands you. When the pain has cut you off from others in ways only you can understand, you are not truly alone for Christ is with you. You may not know it now, but you have great reasons to praise God because He gives you new eyes to see and new ears to hear. You will have another life beyond the pain-filled life you have now. Praise God, for God the Father sent His son into the world to die for you, a lowly sinner. Praise God, for in the times of your most intense pain and deepest darkness He is there for you, comforting you, because He is your friend.

Psalms 72:18 Praise Be To The Lord God, The God Of Israel, Who Alone Does Marvelous Deeds.

In pain, we want someone to make our pain go away. As difficult as it may seem, Christ wants us to give Him praise, even in our pain. In our pain, to be immersed in His healing love requires we produce an outpouring of our spirit in praise before Him. When we empty our heart and soul to Christ in praise, Christ gives us His joy and power in return. When we pour out our heart and soul to Christ in praise, we draw near to Christ and He draws near to us. Even in your pain, you can draw near to Christ when you thank Him for all the blessings, both seen and unseen, in your life. When you can say "thank you for this moment in my life," even in your pain, you are then able to receive back the full measure of the Lord's love. When you love the Lord, He instantly loves you back and He makes your pain bearable. When you express your gratitude to Christ, you are instantly drawn to His side. Whether you are in pain or not, gratitude, thanksgiving, and praise are warranted from you for He is always with you when you need Him.

1 John 2:17 The World And Its Desires Pass Away, But The Man Who Does The Will Of God Lives Forever.

We cannot always fully know what God's will is for us on a second by second basis. Being in pain can cloud over many things in our life. Pain brings confusion and lack of focus on most everything except the pain. Reading the scripture, can give us a clear indicator of God’s will for us. In the scripture, we can learn God's will for us when we come to deal with other persons, when we come to deal with Him, and when we are confronted with sin and corruption. In pain, we are more susceptible to temptation. We can know God's will when we are confronted with temptation by relying on His word. We can know what God wants us to do when we see the pain, suffering, and hurt of life. We know we are to reach out and touch the hurting, help mend the broken, and support with prayer all those who need Him most. Being in pain ourselves, gives us a unique opportunity to understand others more fully.

Hebrews 10: 22 Let Us Draw Near To God With A Sincere Heart In Full Assurance Of Faith, Having Our Hearts Sprinkled To Cleanse Us From A Guilty Conscience And Having Our Bodies Washed With Pure Water.

Even in our pain, only God's way is the sure way. Our pain draws and quarters us. Our pain seeks to destroy our soul. Our pain wants us to renounce Christ. However, only God's way leads to glory and immortality. When our plans and goals go awry because of our pain, Christ still calls us to work for His goals and follow His plans. Our pain can twist our ideas about where we should go and what we should do so our ideas do not reflect Christ. However, we must keep Christ always before us. In the tangled sinful mysteries of life, we can tell ourselves our plans are godly even when we know they are not godly. We can tell ourselves we are doing God's will, even when know we are doing our own will. We must wage war against the dark powers by affirming Christ each moment and remaining in prayer hour by hour.

Romans 8:23 Not Only So, But We Ourselves, Who Have The First Fruits Of The Spirit, Groan Inwardly As We Wait Eagerly For Our Adoption As Sons, The Redemption Of Our Bodies.

In many of the pathways of life, there is pain. In our pain, God hurts when we hurt. He suffers our pain along with us. When we hurt, God is always calling out to us telling us He loves us and cares about us. God's healing love through the Holy Spirit flows over our life when we are in pain. However, pain is still a part of our reality. God wants us to grow and mature when we are in pain. Growing and maturing when we are in pain is itself a difficult endeavor. However, there is more. We must use our pain to glorify God. Why God does not stop our pain is often a deep mystery. God must follow universal conventions or rules He set down at the beginning of time until Christ returns. We may come to understand pain has no purpose except to pull us away from God. We must also understand pain will end when we see Jesus either in Heaven or when He returns to Earth. In pain, we have a hope greater than our suffering. In pain, we have a victory that cannot be diminished out. In pain, we have a most divine and wonderful distraction…a future full of glory, peace, and tearless joy with Christ.