Rise up?

03.19.21—Affliction--1 Peter 4:1

My friend, may I ask you a question? Is there a side to pain that is good? Could God be actively using that pain to bring about something good in us? Or, is pain just one more consequence of sin and we’ll just have to grin and bear it?

My friend, life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I’m M. Clifford Brunner

How far will you go to avoid pain? Everyday we do little things to get around pain and its consequences. We handle a piece of rough wood with our hands and we put on a pair of gloves to avoid splinters. We avoid the pain. That makes common sense. But, if we were to approach life from that footing, that everything we did or felt had to be insulated from pain, wouldn’t each of us be one huge walking bandage from foot to toe?

When painful things happen in our lives, we usually want God to do a removing job; to keep us safe from the pain. Like a little child we look up to Him and ask, “Will it hurt?” Oftentimes when the answer is “Yes,” our reaction is sorrow, not joy that God Himself is there, supervising the hurt.

Is there a side to pain that is good? Could God be actively using that pain to bring about something good in us? Or, is pain just one more consequence of sin and we’ll just have to grin and bear it?

A small girl had been promised the privilege of climbing to a nearby hilltop where her brother enjoyed playing. But when she came within sight of the steep, rough path, she drew back in dismay. “Why, there isn’t a smooth spot any- where. It’s all bumpy and stony!” she exclaimed. “Yes,” said her more experienced older brother, “but how else would we ever climb to the top if it wasn’t? The stones and bumps are what we step on to get there.” (Source Unknown.)

When painful things happen in our lives, rather than asking God to do a removing job, perhaps we need to be looking to Him to do an improving job. It is often said “To realize the worth of the anchor, it must feel the storm.” As followers of Christ we should look upon pain as a possibility, not merely a hardship. When we are so disposed to suffer, there is a foothold to faith that lies before us. Our task is to step upon it and rise above the pain and find the joy of hope in Christ.

We pray. Heavenly Father. When painful things happen in our lives, help us O Lord to be motivated not to ask You to do a removing job but rather to understand and be confident in the fact that You are in the process of doing an improving job. Forgive us in the times when we do not see this and do not understand the importance of feeling the storm in order to enjoy tomorrow’s sunrise. As followers of Christ teach us to look upon pain as a possibility, not merely a hardship. Disposed to suffer, we will find a new foothold in faith that lies before us in the morning light if only we are willing to rise up and step up. Help us Father to rise up over the pain and find the joy of hope in Jesus Christ, who took the pain and suffering for us. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to "This Passing Day!"

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

Rise up?

03.19.21—Affliction--1 Peter 4:1

My friend, may I ask you a question? Is there a side to pain that is good? Could God be actively using that pain to bring about something good in us? Or, is pain just one more consequence of sin and we’ll just have to grin and bear it?

My friend, life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I’m M. Clifford Brunner

How far will you go to avoid pain? Everyday we do little things to get around pain and its consequences. We handle a piece of rough wood with our hands and we put on a pair of gloves to avoid splinters. We avoid the pain. That makes common sense. But, if we were to approach life from that footing, that everything we did or felt had to be insulated from pain, wouldn’t each of us be one huge walking bandage from foot to toe?

When painful things happen in our lives, we usually want God to do a removing job; to keep us safe from the pain. Like a little child we look up to Him and ask, “Will it hurt?” Oftentimes when the answer is “Yes,” our reaction is sorrow, not joy that God Himself is there, supervising the hurt.

Is there a side to pain that is good? Could God be actively using that pain to bring about something good in us? Or, is pain just one more consequence of sin and we’ll just have to grin and bear it?

A small girl had been promised the privilege of climbing to a nearby hilltop where her brother enjoyed playing. But when she came within sight of the steep, rough path, she drew back in dismay. “Why, there isn’t a smooth spot any- where. It’s all bumpy and stony!” she exclaimed. “Yes,” said her more experienced older brother, “but how else would we ever climb to the top if it wasn’t? The stones and bumps are what we step on to get there.” (Source Unknown.)

When painful things happen in our lives, rather than asking God to do a removing job, perhaps we need to be looking to Him to do an improving job. It is often said “To realize the worth of the anchor, it must feel the storm.” As followers of Christ we should look upon pain as a possibility, not merely a hardship. When we are so disposed to suffer, there is a foothold to faith that lies before us. Our task is to step upon it and rise above the pain and find the joy of hope in Christ.

We pray. Heavenly Father. When painful things happen in our lives, help us O Lord to be motivated not to ask You to do a removing job but rather to understand and be confident in the fact that You are in the process of doing an improving job. Forgive us in the times when we do not see this and do not understand the importance of feeling the storm in order to enjoy tomorrow’s sunrise. As followers of Christ teach us to look upon pain as a possibility, not merely a hardship. Disposed to suffer, we will find a new foothold in faith that lies before us in the morning light if only we are willing to rise up and step up. Help us Father to rise up over the pain and find the joy of hope in Jesus Christ, who took the pain and suffering for us. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to "This Passing Day!"

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.