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--"

1 PET 4:1 "THEREFORE, SINCE CHRIST SUFFERED IN HIS BODY, ARM YOURSELVES ALSO WITH THE SAME ATTITUDE, BECAUSE HE WHO HAS SUFFERED IN HIS BODY IS DONE WITH SIN."

Satan tempted Jesus but Jesus refused to give in to temptation. The sin of the world was brought into the world by Satan. Christ suffered on the cross and paid for our sinful mistakes. Christ came back from death to give us an opportunity to live forever. Although Christ came back from the tomb, Christ still had His wounds. The pain Christ suffered on the Cross had been overcome by Him, but the healed wounds of Christ remained. Because He won, we can win in the battle against pain and suffering. In your own battle against pain and suffering, be positive, don't let down or give up. Don't let go of the Light of God. Grasp Christ's hope and power and hang on. Through Jesus, we have the power to hang on, even when we hurt, even when we have failed and faltered. The greatest miracle of all is this: We have the power to hang on, in spite of the pain. We have the power to stand firm against overwhelming obstacles. We have the power to come back. If Satan has his way you will let go and give up. If Satan has His way, you will walk away from Christ. The power to hang on and hang in is power for us. The power of God works in ways we do not always understand. The power of God manifests itself in mysterious ways we find hard to grasp. If you were well and not in pain, where would you be? If you were not disabled or down, where would you be? God did not want the pain for you. God did not will you to have the pain. However, since the pain or causes of the pain happened, He has been leading you away from your pain toward Himself. Which direction will you walk? Will you be selfless in your love and devotion toward Christ or will you be selfish?

1 Pet 4:13 "But Rejoice That You Participate In The Sufferings Of Christ, So That You May Be Overjoyed When His Glory Is Revealed."

Human beings suffer pain. Pain entered the world when Satan invaded the Garden of Eden. The purpose of Satan and the pain Satan brings has no purpose but to pull us away from God. We must also understand pain will end when we see Jesus in Heaven or upon the earth. However, what do we do now? What do we do until we see Christ face to face? When we are in pain, we must do what seems impossible. When we are in pain we must pray. In pain, we may not pray with any kind of godly force. In pain, our prayer may only be a faint whisper. In pain, we may pray in consuming doubt filling us with darkness of the soul. Yet, we must pray on, and on, and on every hour. Even in pain, we must exert every ounce of our soul to love Christ and love others.

We must show others and show Christ our love for them is undying. Even to our last breath, we must pray and we must love.

1 PET 2:24 HE HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY ON THE TREE, SO THAT WE MIGHT DIE TO SINS AND LIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS; BY HIS WOUNDS YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED.

Perhaps you are thinking, "I keep praying, but I am still hurting and wounded. I am still in darkness. Why do I still hurt?" You are till hurting because within you there is another kind of healing. There is another life within you besides your physical life. Within you there is another healing going on. Because we hurt in our bodies, we are still able to be free of suffering not to hurt in spirit. In our pain-filled existence we must learn to endure. Even when we hurt so much, even when we want to give up because we can't take the pain anymore, we have to hang tough. We can win the ultimate victory but we cannot win the ultimate victory giving in or giving up. We are undergoing the process of regeneration in spirit. Painful as it is, we are made alive by the spirit. We can be filled with the spirit making our suffering less severe and less profound. We can be filled with the spirit bringing us light and love. We can be filled with love making our hurt go away. Jesus came to earth to let us know we need not have to suffer by ourselves. Although Satan attacks us, attempting to break us down, continually afflicting us, and incessantly trying to take the light from our eyes, we can still be alive in our heart and soul because Christ is living within us this very moment.

JAMES 5:10 "BROTHERS, AS AN EXAMPLE OF PATIENCE IN THE FACE OF SUFFERING, TAKE THE PROPHETS WHO SPOKE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD."

Patience is something in short supply when we suffer. We do not like suffering. We do not want it. We ask how long, O Lord, how long? The Old Testament prophets knew about suffering. They knew what it was like to have a god who was silent most of the time, to have a god who chose not to relieve suffering. The prophets agonized as we do. However, they were patient, as we must be patient. For their patience they were rewarded. Christ's came to be an example to us when we are in suffering. Christ freely chose to suffer for us until His mission on the cross was completed. Christ had the freedom to reject the cross and reject the suffering. He chose to go ahead and live through the pain so we would have a chance to live forever in glory with Him. You must also choose to live through the pain. Christ did not give up. Christ knows what physical pain is all about. He knows what depression is all about. He knows what it means to feel forsaken and alone. Christ knows what it means to be beaten and abused. He knows what it feels like to be rejected and scorned. Christ chose to go through all these things so we can persevere when we are in pain.

Heb 2:14 Since The Children Have Flesh And Blood, He Too Shared In Their Humanity So That By His Death He Might Destroy Him Who Holds The Power Of Death--That Is, The Devil--

Suffering is the price we pay for being free…free to rebel against God and his love for us.

When we are hurting and in pain, then forgiveness holds a special meaning.

Jesus is for giving to us.

Jesus is for giving us an eternal home where there is no pain, suffering, or sorrow.

Jesus is for giving us strength and courage to face tomorrow here on earth,

Jesus is for a winning person, so we do not want to live in defeat.

Jesus is for a person, who, despite the pain, sorrow, and adversities of life, can come back to fight against the darkness afflicting us.

Jesus is for giving us knowledge about how much he loves us.

Jesus is for giving us an understanding of why we have to wait to be free of the pain.

Jesus is for a world where things are better for us.

Jesus is for us always having someone next to us…Him…who really knows what we go through.

1 PET 4:13 "BUT REJOICE THAT YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST, SO THAT YOU MAY BE OVERJOYED WHEN HIS GLORY IS REVEALED."

Christ suffered just by being born. He was in heaven but came down to earth to save us. In heaven, Christ had no pain, He had no suffering. In heaven, Christ had all power and wonder at His command. Some of our sufferings are like His earthly sufferings, so we know what He went through when He was on the earth. When we suffer we are brought closer to what Christ went through. When we suffer, we can understand Him, and He can understand us. 1 Pet 5:10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. Satan is limited. The enemy can only do so much to us. We can come back against the enemy and what Satan does to us. Suffering does and will exist as long as we are on the earth as mere mortals. However, suffering is not forever. Suffering is not God's will. Suffering is the will of Satan. God's will is to restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. 1 John 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. Lay down your burdens, pain, and suffering. Lay down your suffering before Christ on the cross. When laid down, your sufferings will be lifted up, up, up to our Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:4 Blessed Are Those Who Mourn, For They Will Be Comforted.

Question: "I fear I have lost my soul. I have lost the part of me I have used to contact God. I used to know He was listening. However, now I seem to be unable to get beyond my pain. My pain, it seems, has won and defeated the part of me I use to make contact with Him. I weep inwardly. I weep on the outside. A big part of me has given up. I know my life is not over but sometimes, perhaps too often, I want to see heaven, see Jesus, and all those who went before me. My pain is wearing me down and wearing me out. What do I do? What can you tell me about what to do next?"

Answer: Answers are not always easily found when people are in pain. Perhaps this answer will guide you and support you in your daily walk.

Things to remember...

We cannot take giant leaps like superman. However, we can take baby steps to get where we are going.

Find God's purpose for your life. Even if you cannot fully live out God's purpose, do all you can to express or pursue His purpose in your life.

Your idea of victory may need to change. Victory may seem to be no more pain, no more depression, and no more meaninglessness. However, you can only live or win out one minute at a time. When you conquer just a minute, you can conquer the hour, then you can conquer the day.

Most of all seek Christ at all times. Seek to find Him in little healing moments. Look for Him at night, at noontime, or in the morning. Look for Him in places you think He would never be. Most of all, look for Him within your heart for His kingdom resides within you. Christ hears your heartache. He hears and knows your pain. In your future, Christ will come and take you to be with Him where pain and sorrow are no more.

Matthew 6:10 Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done In Earth, As It Is In Heaven.

"Thy will be done in earth…" the words are so easy to say but so hard to do. Being human, we want to fix what hurts. When we hurt, naturally we want to do something to make the pain go away. When we hurt, we want to do things ourselves to find comfort. So where is the will of God when the pain comes? Too often we unknowingly push away the will of God in favor of trying to make the pain go away by our own means and methods. When we hurt, we can let the will of God filter down into us. When we hurt we must try to both say "Thy will be done" and we must LET God's will be done. When we hurt we are not to give up on life, we are not to give up on ourselves, we are not to give up on our medical professionals, or we are not to give up on God. When we hurt we are to let God's will be done in our pain. When we let God's will be done in our life, we will find incredible peace, then His comfort. Our pain is not God's will. Our pain can be soothed by God's will filtering down into the deepest part of our soul. Do so, let's God's will be our comforting guiding hand in every adversity. The will of God will never lead us to more pain and trouble. The will of God leads us to peace on earth and later peace in heaven.

1 Thessalonians 3:7 Therefore, Brothers, In All Our Distress And Persecution We Were Encouraged About You Because Of Your Faith.

Our victory over pain is elusive and often unknowable. No one may know about our victory but our Lord and us. There are no parades, no celebrations, and no commendations for heroism in our pain. We very seldom ever get a glimpse of when we win out over the pain. Most of the time, we have no sense of victory because even when the pain leaves us, we have no remaining sense of power to make the pain go away again. However, even when we are absolutely certain we have been and are now living in defeat because our pain has not gone away, we must remain.

We must hold on because holding on and keeping what little faith we have is the victory.

When Satan, who is the author of death and pain, tries to attack us with pain, our not giving up and not giving in is the victory.

Our faith in Christ is the reason we desire to stay alive while even in our pain our desire to stay alive is the victory.

Our desire to live one more moment to thank Him for blessings, blessings held only in the hands of those who may never know us, is the victory.

Our desire to pray one more moment when we are too distracted to pray because of our pain is the victory.

Our resolve to never give up or give in, even when our resolve is now only a whisper in the deafening pain within us…our resolve is the victory.

Even in our pain, our silent words spoken within our heart at the moment just before we leave this life, our silent words saying, "Precious Lord, I love you" is the victory.

Isaiah 63:9 In All Their Distress He Too Was Distressed, And The Angel Of His Presence Saved Them. In His Love And Mercy He Redeemed Them; He Lifted Them Up And Carried Them All The Days Of Old.

When your pain makes you angry…

When your pain makes you depressed…

When your pain makes you weep…

When your pain makes you want to get even…

When your pain drives you crazy…

When your pain pushes you in directions you do not want to go…

These are the times when your pain owns you.

These are the times when your pain becomes your master…when you become a slave of your pain.

When you find you are no longer able to be your own person but instead are the person controlled by the pain, stop everything for just a moment. In that moment when you have stopped everything, you are no longer a slave. In that moment, reassert your power to think on your own. In that moment of your freedom, praise God. In that moment of your freedom, let God wrap His love around you.

Isaiah 61:3 And Provide For Those Who Grieve In Zion-- To Bestow On Them A Crown Of Beauty Instead Of Ashes, The Oil Of Gladness Instead Of Mourning, And A Garment Of Praise Instead Of A Spirit Of Despair. They Will Be Called Oaks Of Righteousness, A Planting Of The Lord For The Display Of His Splendor.

Pain is like a storm rolling in from a distant place.

In the storm there is chaos and tumult then a time of comfort.

With the storm comes a natural pruning of trees and plants. With the storm comes a natural pruning of our heart, mind, and soul.

With the storm comes a time of darkness soon followed by light in our soul.

With the storm comes a display of God's power against the dark powers and dark forces trying to destroy us.

With the storm comes a voice, the voice of God, calling out to us to hold fast, for He is always with us.

With the storm comes the destruction of one mission and the beginning of a new one.

With the storm comes confusion then a time of clarity.

With the storm comes a time of imprisonment then comes freedom.

Isaiah 46:4 Even To Your Old Age And Gray Hairs I Am He, I Am He Who Will Sustain You. I Have Made You And I Will Carry You; I Will Sustain You And I Will Rescue You.

A Prayer For A Time When You Are In Pain

I love you, Lord Jesus.
I have fallen down and I am bruised.
I am in pain and I have lost my way.
I am in pain and I have made grievous mistakes.
I am in pain and I have committed sins and wrongs.
I am sorry.
I would undo my mistakes but I cannot.
I am sorry I went astray.
I am sorry for the difficulties my life may have caused others.
Instead of love in my heart, there is to often a feeling of bitterness.
I am sorry.
Please forgive me.
So very often I do not know what I do.
Even when I do not deserve it, I know you come into my life and touch my heart and make me new, whole, and I am reborn.
I seek your mercy for my sins, my transgressions, and my waywardness.
Even when I get caught up in my pain and I turn my back on you, you never turn your back on me.
My pain is no excuse.
I am sorry, for I went my own way and I did not think about you.
I am sorry, for I too often think of my own wants and needs instead of what you want from me.
Please do not hold the repercussions of my sins against those who do not know.
Please protect those who are innocent and naïve…those who trust me to be a guide for them.
Thank you for your understanding and compassion even when I do not deserve your favor.
Thank you for carrying my very sins to the cross.
In your Holy and Righteous name,
The name of my blessed Lord Jesus,
Amen.

Psalms 42:5 Why Are You Downcast, O My Soul? Why So Disturbed Within Me? Put Your Hope In God, For I Will Yet Praise Him, My Savior And My God.

When the pain has put you in prison, you have Jesus with you.
When the pain has put terror in your heart, you have Jesus with you.
When you are confused and full of doubt, you have Jesus with you.
When the pain has caused you crushing depression, you have Jesus with you.
When the pain has taken away your life, you have Jesus with you.
When the pain has destroyed all your hope, you have Jesus with you.
When the pain has taken away all your joy, you have Jesus with you.
When the pain causes you to weep, you have Jesus with you.
When the pain makes you think are alone, you have Jesus with you.
When the pain makes you say, think, and feel Jesus is not enough, Jesus is with you…to give you comfort…directing His angels to wrap their wings around you.