Don't Waste Your Pain
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. -- 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Have you ever felt like your past disqualifies you from being used by God? Maybe it's a broken marriage, an addiction you fought, or a failure that still haunts you. Here's what I want you to hear today: the very thing you think disqualifies you is exactly what God wants to use for His kingdom.
The Apostle Paul understood this. Listen to what he wrote to the Corinthian church: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ" (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).
Did you catch that? God doesn't waste anything in your life. He comforts you in your pain so that you can turn around and comfort others with that same comfort. The greatest encouragers I've known in ministry aren't those who've had perfect lives. They're the ones who've walked through the fire—broken relationships, addiction, physical suffering—and came out the other side clinging to Jesus.
I remember when I broke my leg skiing. I was in a full leg cast for nine months, went through multiple surgeries, and spent two years recuperating. Before that injury, I wasn't very merciful toward people in pain. But after living with constant pain myself, everything changed. I could finally understand what others were going through.
Our God is the God of second chances. And third chances. And fourth chances. He doesn't call the qualified—He qualifies the called. Where is your pain? What have you wrestled with the most? That might be exactly where God wants to use you.
Don't hide your scars. Don't apologize for your story. Let God redeem every bit of it for His glory. Nothing is wasted in the Kingdom of God.
Have you ever felt like your past disqualifies you from being used by God? Maybe it's a broken marriage, an addiction you fought, or a failure that still haunts you. Here's what I want you to hear today: the very thing you think disqualifies you is exactly what God wants to use for His kingdom.
The Apostle Paul understood this. Listen to what he wrote to the Corinthian church: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ" (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).
Did you catch that? God doesn't waste anything in your life. He comforts you in your pain so that you can turn around and comfort others with that same comfort. The greatest encouragers I've known in ministry aren't those who've had perfect lives. They're the ones who've walked through the fire—broken relationships, addiction, physical suffering—and came out the other side clinging to Jesus.
I remember when I broke my leg skiing. I was in a full leg cast for nine months, went through multiple surgeries, and spent two years recuperating. Before that injury, I wasn't very merciful toward people in pain. But after living with constant pain myself, everything changed. I could finally understand what others were going through.
Our God is the God of second chances. And third chances. And fourth chances. He doesn't call the qualified—He qualifies the called. Where is your pain? What have you wrestled with the most? That might be exactly where God wants to use you.
Don't hide your scars. Don't apologize for your story. Let God redeem every bit of it for His glory. Nothing is wasted in the Kingdom of God.
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3 Comments
I've had times where God used the pain that I had gone through to help others around me.
YES.INDEED. PEOPLE TELL ME, I HAVE A REAL TESTIMONY WHEN I TELL THEM WHAT I HAVE GONE THROUGH AND I KNOW THAT THE LORD IS USING ME THROUGH THIS AND I'M SO THANKFUL HE IS GIVING ME ANOTHER CHANCE, AND USING ME FOR HIS GLORY!!!
I feel so very blessed that for all the sins and sad ness that I have gone through that he has been here and giving us all another chance.