Purpose in Your Pain

By: Kathie Welch

Monday, May 19, 2025

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. James 5: 13-14 (NLT)

1. Cry out to God when you're suffering.
2. Don't forget to praise Him when you're happy.
3. Pray for healing you're sick.
4. Ask Church leaders to pray for you and anoint you with oil.

In essence, God's Word says to pray about everything. God uses everything in our lives (including hardships) to accomplish His purposes. God's plans are perfect, but His ways and thoughts are beyond our comprehension (Isaiah 55:8-9). To us, God's ways and means are unknown and unclear until His final plan is completed.

Normally, we only perceive our immediate needs: physical healing; a new job; a restored relationship; etc. But God has greater purposes in mind, and it includes healing us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. For example; a broken leg may sideline us physically, but God may use the stillness from that illness to draw us closer to Him. God wants to heal everything —the attitudes of our heart, broken relationships, and our personal relationship with Him.

Sometimes, hardships and trials help us:

1. Acknowledge our need for God.
2. Experience God's love in deeper ways.
3. Refocus, —looking outward instead of inward.
4. Recognize how God is using others to help us.
5. Remember to praise Him in good times and bad.
6. Rely on Him completely.

God's refining process usually takes more time than we like, maybe a lot more time Usually, we want instant healings or resolutions for our problems. But that's what we are seeking... God wants to use our trials to refine us, but it may take a while. When God draws us closer, we experience His unlimited ability to love us. This refining process strengthens our faith and reaffirms our trust in His promises. When God sees us through a trail, our confidence in Him becomes unshakeable! God’s ways are always better than ours, even when we can't see it. Always remember that God’s timing is perfect. While you're waiting, pray! Prayer is our lifeline to God.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. Philippians 4:6-8 (NLT)

Christ follower, there is purpose in our pain! If you're suffering, trust God. Then, ask Him to give you His peace and endurance.

Read: James 1:3-4, Psalm 107:3