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Gain in Pain
His skillful hands wrap around the lump of clay. As the wheel spins, his gentle hands form the clay into the shape that he sees in his imagination. The lump becomes a vessel and is ready for the kiln. The potter gently lifts the vessel and places it into the oven. He closes the door and turns on the heat to 2,300° and there the clay sits for ten hours.
There’s a strong aversion to pain in America. Alcohol, drugs, and illicit sex, are a few examples of pain-relievers that many use. Including Christians.
But, pain and suffering is part of the Christian walk.
Romans 8:17 says, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
We can suffer pain for two main reasons: our own sinfulness or shortcomings, or for simply being righteous and blameless (Psalm 34:19). So, that includes everyone!
Job’s Tribulation and Transformation
Job was a righteous, blameless man. Before he went into his tribulation, he had seven sons and three daughters. He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
Job feared for the spiritual condition of his children and he regularly offered burnt sacrifices on their behalf to atone for their sins.
One day, God gave Satan permission to touch all of Job’s livestock and kill all ten of his children. Job mourned with great anguish and he worshipped God.
Then God gave Satan permission to touch Job’s body. In great physical pain, with all his children and possessions gone, Job worshipped God and endured this season of tribulation in his life.
When the Lord brought an end to Job’s sufferings, He restored Job’s wealth with twice the number of livestock and blessed him with another set of seven sons and three daughters. But these children were godly.
Job not only endured his pain, but two major things happened to him. First, Job heard God’s voice clearly. In fact, Job heard all that God said that is recorded in chapters 38, 39, 40, 41, and part of 42. Now, that’s a lot! Today, we are happy if we hear just one word or one sentence from God. Job heard over four chapter’s worth of words!
Second, Job became a godlier father. Before his pain, his fathering produced children that sinned. After his tribulation, his second set of ten children grew up to be godly.
Paul’s Pains
The Apostle Paul had been whipped thirty nine times on five different occasions, three separate times he was beaten with rods, almost killed by stoning, shipwrecked three times, often went without sleep, food, clothing, and warmth, experienced the betrayal of those he thought were brothers, and was in danger everywhere he went (2 Corinthians 11:23–27).
What Paul endured revealed his love for God and for God’s people.
God must’ve been thinking, “Paul is a man who is willing to go through anything to lead and feed My people. I’m going to speak to him revelations about Myself that no one has heard before. I’m even going to tell him things that he cannot repeat on earth (2 Corinthians 12:4). I do this because he lays down his life like my Son did.
A key to what enabled Paul to hear God’s voice and to know what to write in his letters is the consolation and encouragement that he received from the Lord in his own tribulations. Paul wrote, “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 have received from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3, 4) The words, “so that we can” reveals that when we allow God to work His work in us during our tribulations, then we have—directly from God—the comfort, consolation, and encouragement to minister to others.
Ashley’s Treasure
Ashley Smith, the woman that was held hostage for seven hours by the man (Brian Nichols) who shot and killed several people in the
She received that strength and comfort four years ago when her husband died in her arms after being stabbed in his heart. She felt the pain and grief of the tragedy. She experienced the pain of being in the presence of a murderer and the victim. She mourned and was comforted (Matthew 5:4).
Ashley was able to draw from the comfort that the Lord had given her and speak the words that the Lord wanted her abductor to hear. Ashley was the perfect victim for the Lord to reach Nichols.
Pain in the Faith Hall of Fame
Hebrews 11 is referred to as the “Faith Hall of Fame” and we all enjoy hearing the stories of the great faith such as people being raised from the dead, the conquering of the promised land, Daniel being delivered from the lion’s den.
But God sees an equally impressive amount of faith in those that endure pain and suffering. Verses 35 through 38 lists those that we don’t often talk about in today’s sermons and conversations. These are those that were tortured, mocked, flogged, bound in prison, stoned, sawed in half, killed by the sword, destitute, and lived in caves or deserts.
What did God say of these people? He said that the world and everyone in it was not worthy of having these suffering people live among them!
After the Kiln
An alcoholic drops to the very bottom of despair and then receives healing and deliverance from the Lord. That man has within him an understanding and grace from the Lord that enables him to help another alcoholic in a much more powerful and effective way than someone who has never had a drink.
In my thirty years of being a Christian, I have always seen more compassion and comfort coming from people who walk with a limp—those that have been broken and then healed—than those that have had very little or no tribulation in their life. Those that have not run away from their trials and pain, but walked through them victoriously have a grace, an understanding, sensitivity, and a listening heart that they obtained from their own tribulation and from God’s grace.
If there are two people with nearly identical callings and I had to choose only one to partner with, I’d always go with the one who has walked through the valley of the shadow of death.
At the end of ten hours, the Potter turns the heat off in the kiln. He allows the kiln to cool for about five hours. Then, He opens the door. He reaches into the kiln and picks up His creation that went through the fire. He admires the beauty and uniqueness of the vessel, turning it every which way. He then places the vessel where He can always admire it and use it whenever He desires.
It is my prayer for you that Father will continue to help you to hear His voice, and more and more frequently.
With God’s grace and in His peace,
Gary
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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of International Bible Society. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of International Bible Society.
