Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Walking the Path of Encouragement

Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
I get nothing but trouble all day long;
every morning brings me pain.
PSALM 73:13-14 (NLT)

C.S. Lewis described pain as “God’s megaphone to a deaf world.” Pain forces us to live in reality, to deal with issues we would rather ignore, to shift our focus off the concerns of life on earth and onto things eternal. Pain forces us to ask the question, “Is this all there is?”

It can be difficult to accept God in this role unless we remember that He is a loving parent who is determined to bring us to maturity. He will use suffering in His children’s lives in the same way a sculptor uses a chisel.

As the craftsman of the human soul, God knows best which edges need to be smoothed where fine lines must be etched to bring out the true beauty of His creation. He loves us too much to allow us to remain trapped in our rough stony state. Thus, He may use pain and suffering to shape our lives and transform our character.

We can rejoice, too,
when we run into problems and trials,
for we know that they help us develop endurance.
And endurance develops strength of character,
and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
And this hope will not lead to disappointment.
For we know how dearly God loves us,
because He has given us the Holy Spirit
to fill our hearts with His love.
ROMANS 5:3-5 (NLT)

On the journey with you,
Jan & Dave Dravecky