But it doesn’t help right now, does it?
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Rev. 21:4)
There, not here, then, not now.
For some of you I could have ended this letter right there, and you would have understood perfectly, the pain, in no matter which form the Lord has allowed it to enter into your life is accepted as coming from His hand, we do not desire it, but we accept it, we are still on the path, but it is darker, it is far from smooth, to put it bluntly, it hurts, but we do not seek shelter from the storm, but strength to move through it.
This letter is for those that cannot yet quite grasp that the pain has a purpose, that the pain we are experiencing may not be for us, but for them, hence the reason to keep writing this morning.
On these mornings where the pain is almost unbearable, He bears me up, when it takes much longer to write them because of it, He guides my pen.
“Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (1st Cor. 10:11)
My flesh says, “Don’t write that,” my heart says, “Praise God for it.”
It is foolish for me to attempt to compare my pain at this time with anyone else’s, it is immature to say, “It could be worse,” or “Others have suffered worse,” and if you meet a fellow brother or sister in Christ who is suffering, refrain yourself from such words. It’s not going to help them right now any more than reminding them that one day, and for all the days that will come after that glorious day there will be no pain, no suffering, no sorrow.
You can grieve with them, but it will not make the pain go away, you can, and should console them, but use great caution with your words.
My beautiful wife has watched me as the Lord has led me into numerous battles with physical pain, she does not use many words as she accompanies me through those valleys, but she does something even better, she is there. Her love for me overflows me, it does not make the pain go away, but it makes the road a little easier.
If you understand that it is not because you sinned, not because the Living God is chastening you, not because you have strayed off the path, but because He has chosen you to be an example for those He has also called to Himself, then rejoicing in those moments of pain comes a little easier also.
“Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.” (Phil. 1:24)
My adoring wife did not know true compassion when we met, she was not saved by grace through faith yet, and I firmly believe that any one who is not born-again does know true compassion. If it took all those valleys of pain and suffering the Lord has led me through for her to learn compassion, then I will welcome this one and all that follow it.
If you are the one that this letter needed to be written for further after that short opening statement, then here are the two truths I pray you will receive from it. If someone you meet is in pain, do not offer them platitudes, right here, right now is what matters to them, if they are born-again, they know that one day there will be no more pain.
Use great caution with your words.
If you are the one suffering, ask the Lord to reveal to you why, perhaps you are being used to be that example for someone.
Keep your eyes on Him who was the greatest example as He hung on that cross.
