The words reminded me as they bounced off the pages of an old journal entry from 2004, pain has a purpose. And, although at the time, no one could have convinced me of such, I see now that it was time for me to move on, and I couldn’t. If we could only have a window to the future instead of a window to the past, what great things we could know. Looking back, I am who I am because of the trials of my life. The pains of my life have served me well.
I’ve often heard when life closes a door, God will open another, but oh how tough it is in the hallways.
The Hallways of Life – no one likes waiting on change- no one likes experiencing grief or hardship or grueling times. My grandmother used to say, “Anything worth having is worth waiting for.” In essence, she was right.
There have been moments in my own life when I couldn’t see moving beyond the situation I was in. How could life ever be normal again? How could I ever find happiness in all the turmoil? The reality is being happy is not contingent upon one’s situation or even circumstance. Happiness is not a life without struggles or obstacles. Happiness comes from knowing, regardless of the trials one is experiencing at the time, change is coming. And it always does…eventually…come together.
Pain, whether its physical, emotional, financial, or spiritual, is an indicator that something is changing. Pain awakens us to do something to make it better. Pain forces us to assess the situation and determine what can be done differently to stop the pain. It comes in many forms, and we can move with it or resist it, but either way there is something in pain that forces us to grow.
Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength.”
I’ve seen athletes write the words on their arms or headbands. I’ve murmured the words before a major presentation or important test. I believe the scripture actually is talking about endurance. Failure is not the end. I would much rather attempt to do something and fail than do nothing and succeed. Christ gives us a new start with every breath granted us. While our situations may look bleak at the moment, it isn’t forever. How we manage the pain; what we do with the change; how we learn from the trial makes all the difference in the outcome.
There have been times in my life when I have prayed to ask God to help me take one step, and another, and another. And every time, He did. And the more I walked, the easier it became to walk. Christ knew the hardships of life. He knew we would need Him.
James 1:12, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
What this scripture tells me resonates in my soul, for great strength comes when we push through despite the people who are doing everything in their power to stop us; despite the painful heartache; despite the obstacles and struggles; despite the discouragement; and despite the doubt. Pain has a purpose: to make us better people, to move us in a different direction, to connect us with Christ; and to teach us to persevere.
There’s an old Indian proverb, “In the end, it will all turn out good. If it isn’t good yet, it isn’t the end.”
