On a snowy January day in 1993 in South Elgin, IL, I drove up the snow-filled driveway of my mom’s home and saw her car full of snow. It hadn’t snowed in several days, so this was not normal – not normal at all. It actually wasn’t normal that I hadn’t talked to my mom in several days. As my newly pregnant wife, Rachel, and I walked up the stairs and into the house my heart raced. I opened the door and my little cocker spaniel, Misty, greeted us. There was her poop all over the house. What in the world? I thought.
As I turned the corner to my mom’s bedroom, I saw her on her side in her bed. She had been dead for some time. I was an only child of a single mom, I was only married six months ago, and I had a wife just a few weeks pregnant. My world just turned upside down in pain. How could this happen? How could God allow this to happen? Oh, the pain and sorrow.
While this was certainly one of the worst instances of pain in my 56 years of life, it certainly isn’t the only one. We’ve had great financial struggles, a miscarriage, relationship and family difficulties, significant work-related issues, physical maladies, and the list goes on. Pain is, unfortunately, a reality of life. I have a list of questions to ask God when I get to heaven, and the results of pain in my life are certainly near the top of the list! I know you’ve had pain as well, because we all do! I’m sure you’ve yelled at God, questioned the pain, and probably even cursed a few things.
Here is the question for today: As a Godly Leader, how can we turn our pain into purposeful promise? How can we use the pain we’ve experienced to help those we lead in their current and future experiences? I believe that we can use our pain, we should use our pain, and that it is essential that we will use our pain for His glory! The purpose of this Essential Godly Leadership blog is to help Godly Leaders in all areas of their leadership look to the Lord – and not just the world – for wisdom, vision, guidance, and progress.
Here are the 4 Essential ways that Godly Leaders can turn pain into purposeful promise:
#1 – REALIZE THAT THERE IS PURPOSE IN YOUR PAIN.
C.S. Lewis once said, “God whispers to us in our pleasure, but He shouts to us in our pain.” Isn’t that true? He gets our attention through seasons of pain. As the pain of a bit in a horse’s mouth directs the horse on the right path, so God uses our pain to direct us on the right path. When we don’t follow His leading, the pain just gets worse!
Look at what God’s Word says in Job 36:15: “But by means of their suffering, He rescues those who suffer. For He gets their attention through adversity.”
As a Godly Leader, God gets our attention through adversity. The first way to turn pain into purposeful promise is to realize that there IS purpose in your pain!
#2 – RECOGNIZE THAT GOD USES PAIN TO CORRECT US.
Pain is a catalyst – it catalyzes action like nothing else! Too many of us don’t go to the dentist until we are in pain. We should regularly, but it’s the pain that ultimately gets us to action. God created us and knows us. He knows that, while not pleasant, He can use the pain in our lives for a better direction and better future.
Note that I said “correct” versus “punish.” When someone is being corrected for a mistake or wrong action, the goal is to help them learn and avoid repeating that mistake in the future. A punishment is a penalty for past actions. For example, we are called to correct our children, not punish them. As our heavenly Father, God corrects us through pain to lead us to a preferred future, not punish us for our past misdeeds. It is essential for Godly Leaders to know this!
Again, looking to the book of Job in Job 5:17, we read, “But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin.”
Every sin you’ve ever committed has been paid for by Jesus. His desire is for us to live for Him more and more as we mature and live day by day. The second way to turn pain into purposeful promise is to recognize that God uses pain to correct us!
#3 – UNDERSTAND THAT GOD USES PAIN TO INSPECT US.
Pain is a measuring tool; it’s an evaluation tool. It tests our character. Your faith is measured by your reaction to pain. Your commitment is measured by your reaction to pain. Your integrity is measured by your reaction to pain. Your Christlikeness is determined and revealed by how you handle pain. Your pain shows how mature you are. What does pressure reveal about your faith?
Proverbs 24:10 says, “If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small.“ Pain, trouble, and pressure are litmus tests of our faith. God uses the pain in our lives to test our strength – to test our faith. In the Old Testamen, we see that David and Joseph went through great pain in their lives. But we also see that out of their pain, great things occurred.
Joseph says this about all the pain that had happened in the first 40 years of his life – talking to the people who brought on the pain, the people who sold him into slavery. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.” You know, later, Joseph had two sons, and one he named Manasseh. Manasseh means “made me forget.” He said when that little boy was born, it made me forget all my pain. David was able to write all of the beautiful Psalms out of his pain. Margaret Carlson wrote a book years ago called “Grace Grows Best in Winter” – that is a true statement!
Pain is the high cost of growth. And it’s cliche, but it’s true – it’s essential to know this! Godly Leader, know that there is no gain without pain. You see, the fact is we want a quick, painless, solution and God wants use our pain in whatever time is necessary.
#4 – ALLOW GOD TO USE YOUR PAIN TO IMPACT AND INFLUENCE OTHERS.
So here’s the bottom line: Pain is inevitable. Pain is not optional. Pain is an essential part of life.
Pain is inevitable. Misery is optional. The question most likely isn’t if you are wasting your pain but, Godly Leader, where are you wasting your pain?
My plea to you today, friends, is to give your hurt and give your heart to Jesus Christ. You know, Jesus didn’t come to explain away your pain. He came to share it. And He says, “Come to me, you who are weary and heavy-laden.” There is purpose in your pain. God uses our pain to correct us and inspect us. Allow Him to use your pain to impact and influence others!
After a short absence, it is good to be back with you and Essential Godly Leadership. We could talk a lot more on this topic, but we’ll leave it there for now. What are your thoughts or questions? Leave them in the comments. If you found this blog helpful or thought-provoking, please subscribe below to receive a new weekly blog in your email on Tuesday morning. Also, if you think this blog would be helpful for others, please share it on social media or tell a few friends about it!
Love being on this Essential Godly Leadership journey with you!
Essential Godly Leadership: “Leading your life, your family, your work, your relationships, and your world in a way that is seeking wisdom from, and pleasing to, the Lord Jesus.”