2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
Despite all the pain that we have to go through, we know that if we were to suffer for Christ’s sake, we shall be comforted by our Lord Jesus Christ too.
The apostle Paul’s message is directed towards us Christians, we should take these things that he said into deep account.
Romans 5:2-5 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Firstly, accepting tribulation and glorifying God even during the most difficult of times will give us hope and help us to gain peace.
It is absolutely pointless to be bitter about the pain that we have to go through because most often it is inevitable.
Rather, how we choose to respond and accept will dramatically change our mindset, our emotions, and our life from being weak to having peacefulness. Trust God that everything happens for a reason.
Besides, by pushing through affliction and constantly giving thanks to God will build our resilience as well.
We tend to become less and less grouchy and more and more matured in our being, personality, and to handle situations with responsibility.
To think about it, the strength in our character or our personal growth does not come from our complacency, but from all the tough situations and afflictions that we went through in life; that’s how we become effective problem solvers. That is even what most workforce is looking for nowadays especially during this pandemic. So isn’t it actually a blessing in disguise?
Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Secondly, as mentioned in this passage, to be careful does not mean we go to the extent of paranoia, but rather to adopt simplicity in things we do and supplement it with prayers and thanksgiving to God.
Simplify how our thought processes work, and how we approach complicated situations, as we know Satan is the adversary and God of confusion. He wants to wear us down by being over-worried and overthinking at most times.
Nonetheless, God had given us a sound mind, which means we’re supposed to think and accept calmly, even with our problems in life. Find a simpler route!
2 Timothy 2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
Even though Paul went through a lot of pain, he learned to accept and endure it. This is such a great reminder for all of us! We tend to give up very easily when we face struggles in life.
That should not be the mindset, it simply means we cannot stand the trial hence we are not worthy of the reward that comes after the trial. Always remind ourselves that by enduring pain, there will always be rewards or growth on the other side.
We Christians do it for Christ’s sake, thus the joy, peace, and hope we acquire through pulling off the struggles.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
God will not give us any burden more than what we can bear.
2 Corinthians 1:6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
Another important point for us to remember is that by going through pain, we can empathize with people who are going through the same problem. It is a lot easier for their experience to resonate with ours. This is especially crucial when it comes to witnessing and soul-winning.
So next time when we experience pain, we should remind ourselves that the pain can be turned into lessons to share and deliver to others, to console others, and to witness to others.
The fourth point is that by going through pain, we learn to enjoy the blessings of our lives so much more. Without the pain we have to endure, we will feel entitled and take things in life for granted.
2 Corinthians 12:2-3 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
The whole chapter of Hebrews 12
If we have truly learned how to accept pain and overcome it in the right way, we will appreciate and glorify God even more, because we finally understand His divine plan, all that He has created, and the reasons he created them, including all the problems and obstructions that we have to overcome.
Compared to what Jesus has sacrificed for us, our pain is considered very minimal and close to nothing. As much as we may think our pain can be excruciating at times, but when we finally overcome it, the growth in our character and the glory will after all be worthwhile.
Amen!