Description

“When the pain is gone, the opportunity is gone.”

• •The pain of dissatisfaction, disappointment, distress.
• •The pain of defeat, upheaval, loss.
• •The pain of frustration, temptation, betrayal.
• •The pain of disillusion, rejection, loneliness.
• •The pain of disorder, physical infirmities, abandonment.

So what’s the opportunity? The opportunity to grow in a way that upon death will be gone forever.

That is, first, the opportunity to find out what God wants to teach us about his loving care for us in the midst of that specific painful situation, and, second, the opportunity to practice remaining helpful to others no matter what.

We make way for that kind of personal growth,

first, by not allowing our attitude to be in any way defined by the pain,

and second, by leaning into and even rejoicing at the chance being given us to firm up our commitment to being what Jesus needs us to be come what may.