Grateful for Pain
A third “P” that I’m grateful for as 2023 draws to a close is a hard one. It’s the pain that this year brought.
I don’t know your story of course, as you listen to me today, but I can tell you that our family went through some painful moments this year. We experienced a few devastating losses. We had our hopes dashed more than once. We walked some painful roads and cried some bitter tears.
2023 was not a wonderful year for us, and we are finding ourselves hoping for something better in 2024.
Grateful Through Pain: God's Transformative Work
But in spite of this, I remain grateful. Because when I read God’s Word, I see how He always finds a way to use pain for the good of His people.
Many times in these daily messages of mine I have shared these classic words of James 1:2 - “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James is saying even if you’re in pain, God is working! He’s maturing you and developing perseverance in you so that you can be who you are created to be.
The truth is, we can’t really get anywhere without pain. No pain, no gain, right? If everything was easy, we would never grow and mature. And so I look back on 2023 and see the painful moments and seasons and I think – God is good. He was with us in those times, and He was busy growing us through them.
Not that I felt so grateful at the time. At the time I was sad and angry. But looking back, I see how God used these moments to bring about good.
Transforming Pain: Gratitude in Trials
What pain do you need to be thankful for today? I know it’s a big ask. I know it’s impossible to be grateful for pain, unless God is at the centre of your thoughts. Are you able today to go to God in faith and say “these painful moments, I release them to you, and ask you to make something beautiful out of them”?
Think of it, Jesus endured the pain of the cross… so that people might be saved through Him.
Paul and the disciples endured the pain of beatings, shipwrecks, jailtime and more… so that more people could know of Jesus.
Maybe your pain could be a pointer to Jesus, if you endure it with grace and display a deep faith in spite of it.
Maybe 2023’s pain might be a blessing to you and to others, if you see it this way.
Sometimes our greatest growth comes not from easy victories but from the tests where we barely scrape through. Embrace today's struggle as an opportunity for character development, trusting that God uses even your hardest tests to shape you.