Pain without purpose is a tragedy, but pain with purpose is a powerful testimony. In the midst of our pain, we can participate in God’s purpose by exercising our spiritual gifts and sharing the Good News of Christ. We can enter into broken places and embrace our hard stories. Doing so leads to healing, gives hope to others, and glorifies the God that carries us through the most challenging circumstances.
Gratitude does not remove our pain and sorrow, and it is not a substitute for grief. However, gratitude invites us to be thankful for what we do have, and it shifts our focus from our problems to God’s provisions. Check out today’s post for how we take hold of the gift of gratitude in the midst of pain and hardship.
Just as a seed planted deep within the soil prepares for new growth in spring, what can feel like our lowest and darkest seasons are catalysts for transformational change. We learn things we would not have discovered any other way and find healing in God’s presence like nothing this world could provide. Today we’re exploring the unprecedented growth that God offers us in the midst of pain and hardship.
Anxiety is rooted in fear, which exists in thoughts about our future. Worrying about what 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 happen doesn’t change the outcome, but it does distract us from experiencing the present. The enemy wants to use worry and fear to paralyze us from moving forward. But, we have a choice! We can choose to pivot from allowing pain to lead us down a regrettable path toward anxiety and defeat to instead inviting it to propel us toward peace and wholeness. To find out how, visit check out today’s post!
In today’s post, I’m sharing about my own struggle with chronic pain. It’s not something I’ve talked much about, in part because I don’t yet have an official diagnosis, but God has brought to my attention that all of us struggle with some form of physical or emotional pain, whether visible to the outside world or not. Pain makes life difficult. Many of us feel anxious, alone, misunderstood, or discouraged. Pain can cause us to doubt our faith, God’s goodness, or even our own self-worth. Pain can be a burden, but it doesn’t have to keep us paralyzed. We can pivot from allowing pain to lead us down a regrettable path toward depression, anxiety, and defeat to instead inviting it to propel us toward wholeness. Check out my post to find out how and sign up for my 5-Day Series, The Unexpected Gift of Pain, to dive deeper into this topic.
When Mary found out her 35-year-old father unexpectedly died in a farm accident, she and her family were devastated. In an instant, their world seemed to fall apart as they tried to process the trauma, had to purchase a new home, and her mom started a full-time position. Through God’s strength, her family was able to keep moving forward, and Mary’s faith was what kept her grounded during seasons of anxiety, depression, and fear. In her testimony, she shares how God grew her through her trials and planted a desire in her heart to minister to others journeying through trauma.
Adversity is critical to our spiritual growth just like exercise is critical to our physical health. Adversity allows for growth, strengthens our character, and sharpens our willpower. In today’s post, Joseph Shumway shares how we can harness the winds of adversity by setting our sails to increased capacity, following Christ, and encouraging others to join us on our journey. We were made for such a time as this and can trust that God has the divine power to lift us to great heights from what appears to be an unbearable burden. Like Paul, may we discover that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness, and “most gladly therefore glory in our infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon us” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
When we faced with lingering, unanswered questions of ‘what if’ and ‘what now?’, we can draw closer to God who walks with us in our pain and allows something new to be born from it. In today’s post, guest writer Heather Gillis shares how God helped her move beyond grief after she lost her son to a life-threatening illness. Her story is powerful and encouraging!
We can hope for healing, but we can’t base our happiness on it. We can seek the doctors’ advice, but we can’t put our trust in them. Our hope and trust lies in the Lord alone as we hold tight to His promise to work all things together for good (Romans 8:28).
