Trusting God through Pain
Have you ever experienced deep pain? Maybe you or someone you know received a painful diagnosis. Or perhaps you or someone you know is living with lifelong pain.
All of us experience pain, sickness, and suffering in our life. It’s part of our human experience because of the effects of sin on creation. Every single person will experience death, pain, and sickness.
However, in the midst of those things, God promises to be with us. The Psalmist gives us an incredible promise in Psalm 73:26. Even though our flesh and heart will fail, God promises to be our strength and portion forever.
That means God is working in our life to strengthen us. Scripture tells us that one day, God will make everything new (Revelation 21:5). The world will be like He intended it to be–free of pain, suffering, and death. God will restore all things.
So, while we experience pain and suffering in this life, we can have hope and look forward to the restoration of all things–especially the resurrection of our bodies. The God who created us from the inside out and knows everything about us will restore our bodies to perfection when we join Him in heaven.
Take a moment to reflect on the frailty of your earthly body. Give thanks to God for creating you and giving you life. Just like the Psalmist, ask Him to be your strength and your portion forever. Remember that He cares for you and loves you. Take hope that one day, He will restore all things, including our pain and suffering.
First Things First
There are plenty of things in life that beg for our attention. Our days are filled with relationships and responsibilities, all of which take time.
In Jesus’ famous sermon in Matthew 6, He spends some time talking about the various things we give our attention to. He explains that instead of spending all of our time and energy worrying about our basic need and desires in life, we should first seek His kingdom and His righteousness. If we do that, everything else will fall into place.
So, what does it mean to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness?
God’s kingdom is about God’s rule and reign over all of creation. His kingdom was unleashed during Jesus’ ministry on earth, and is now growing and expanding throughout the global Church. The work of the kingdom is to continue to tell others about the hope of Jesus, and to teach everything that Jesus has commanded.
To seek God’s righteousness is to desire to live the way God intended. It's to live according to God’s...