609: Gift of Pain

"God intends to pour a flood of happiness into our lives, and he will do so if we only recognize that this is so (Ps 128, Jer. 32:36-41)."-Strachan and Sweeney

The first thing I want to do in this post is give a warning. As you read this blog series you will have a tendency to do one or both of two things depending on the type of person you are:

1) You will take the aspects of pain I am writing of and place them as the sole (or even the primary) characteristic of its truth. Rather than seeing the multiple dimensions of pain's usefulness and God's purposes in pain... you will see only this unidimensional reason I am speaking of. There are MANY REASONS for pain... so many it would take multiple authors each writing multiple books on the subject. And they still wont scratch the surface... at least in DESCRIBING it to you.

or:

2) You will like me, jump to judging conclusions about the authors teaching on the subject. Because I only hear one reason for pain... I conclude the author only thinks there is one reason for pain. This is VERY foolish... yet so many of us do it. Hence the "blog-kung-fu" you read everyday where people volley back and forth comments upon one another because they never considered that maybe their friend is just attempting to make one point. We feel the need to paint the whole sistine chapel in one sitting rather than realizing it takes a lifetime to see the full painting. Me=guilty of this often!

#2-Pain is purposed to our good.

Just as pain hinders our ability to see the pain others are going through... it also shortens our vision. Pain not only demands our full attention, it demands our full attention RIGHT NOW. It's hard to see purpose in pain, even when it comes from the hand of a loving dad when we do something against his wisdom and knowledge of what is good for us. Which means it is that much harder to see a good purpose in pain that seems to be coincidental, unexplained, or "evil". So much of the time I reason that because the pain I feel now is unexplained (which just means I don't get it... I'm not in control) I believe it is just fate or coincidence, and because I equate pain as something bad... this source of pain must be "evil" or wrong because it intends to harm me. Now if I didn't believe in a God (and a loving one at that... that is sovereign over everything) this would be a very logical way of reasoning. But I DO believe in a God, and one that has my best at heart... he does purpose for my happiness, holiness, and joy... which I believe to be very interconnected and interrelated. So therefore, my reasoning is faulty. So if you are someone who doesn't believe in a God, or a God that loves you and wants what is best for you... then I would love to tell you more of why I think this is the truth. And while it sounds cheezy... honestly... help you see the best life to live... real life. Your missing out. But if you are someone who believes as I do... then we both have issues with truly living in this truth. This just shows how much my "natural" nature does not want part of this truth. It is revolutionary... and thus hard to reorient my upside down way of thinking to see the world really is round... not flat as my natural senses tell me it is.

It is pretty obvious how pain served me in this endeavor to run a marathon. Pain is not evil inherently. As a matter of fact... it can be very good and beneficial. Its a NEUTRAL quality that ... finds its character based on its giver. Just as Joseph's (from the Bible) brothers intended the pain they inflicted on him for evil... it WAS evil from them. BUT... the interesting thing is that when you live in "the blessed life" with God... there can be more than one being giving the same pain. Joseph understood this when he said "what you intended for evil, God intended for good" when he spoke to his brothers years after they sold him to slave traders. So while Joseph incurred pain from man (because of sin) he incurred a gift or blessing from God by the same act. And so did many other people (Read Genesis 37-50). In the same way... I receive pain on a daily basis that is intended for evil and good both in one. Good news is... the more powerful the user... the more potent the pain and its result is more long standing. So... good news is... since God is ALL POWERFUL and pain is a great tool of his... He wins and we win. Because He purposes pain for our good, unlike myself and yourself who so much of the time inflict pain simply to harm the other person.

According to the rules of nature, pain was inevitable in my training. I've run no more than 5 miles at a time before this attempt... so obviously my body is attempting to go to uncharted waters and will experience a LOT of pain. Its a part of our fallen and frail bodies.. think about it. But my pain tells me things about my state. It tells me, "ok jake... you are about to die, your leg is about to break, etc."... so pain is not JUST a hindrance either. It is a warning system to prevent me from making an awful mistake or causing greater harm to myself. It is a reminder of my fallen and frail state... which points me back to the gospel of Christ, my need for Him, my human condition (or lack of condition), and the battle I am in daily. It allows me to feel the lowest of lows, and experience the grace of others in a MUCH MORE DRAMATIC fashion.

During race day, there were hundreds of children passing out oranges, bananas, and drinks along the road to encourage and empower the runners. The first 15 miles I thought, "aw... thats cute and awfully nice of them... good kids!". Miles 15-22 I thought, "praise God these kids are passing out bananas! Make these cramps stop!". Miles 22-26.2... I'm nearly in tears with every stranger who gives me food, drink, and words of encouragement. At one point, a stranger is giving me some of his peanut butter m&m's (he thought it would help? nice thought) and stretching me on the side of the road to make the cramping stop, while a kid is giving me an orange and encouraging me by name. I experienced the love of these strangers in a much more meaningful way, it was sensed so deeply that it was no longer a thought, acknowledgement, or belief of their love... but a knowledge and impact that shook me to my roots in that moment. I then realized how little of my life have I lived in pain and neediness. And its only in this neediness (or the realization of it... because we all have needs) that grace and mercy are experienced. Pain gives the paintbrush of the gospel a whole array of colors.

Pain empowered me to complete a marathon. Pain allowed me insight. Pain gave its counterpart, relief, so much magnitude. Pain gave me a valley, to see how high the mountains are. Pain was the symptom of sanctification and strengthening. Pain is a sensation that tells me I'M ALIVE! Pain told me something was wrong that I needed to fix. Pain gave me something to HOPE for. Pain allowed me to be comforted. Pain humbled. Pain taught me. Pain matured me. Pain's hindrances were overcome because of past pains. Pain brought about praise. Pain made me thankful. Pain helps me relate to others. Pain allows me to comfort others as well. Pain reminds me who I am. Pain corrects me. Pain guides me. Pain explains. Pain tells me who I should fear (God alone). Pain allows me to sense greater joy, happiness, elation, and relation. But ONLY because the ultimate and sovereign giver of this pain is a GOOD and LOVING GOD. His use for pain trumps the use of the world. Another bit of wonderful news entailed in the gospel of Christ Jesus!

What does your pain do? If your pain does not terminate in this way... I want to invite you to please join me in a good life. SEE IT. LOOK. ASK.

jake

"I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me." -Jeremiah 32:40

609: Love in Pain

"God intends to pour a flood of happiness into our lives, and he will do so if we only recognize that this is so (Ps 128, Jer. 32:36-41). This means on a practical level that we must reorient our thoughts, our words, and our actions. We must not doubt our Lord and His good plan for our lives. We should not speak against the Lord and complain to other people about our circumstances. Rom. 8:31-39 teaches us that every single thing that occurs in our lives is placed before us to sanctify us and to glorify God. How, then, can we doubt the Lord? We must accept whatever comes from His hand and remember that He has our happiness in mind, not our misery. This reorientation of thinking and acting will help us to switch from a glum, self-defeated way of life into a courageous, defiantly joyful existence that smacks of another world.” –Owen Strachan and Doug Sweeney

The analogy is such a powerful tool, quite mystic in its ability to explain the misunderstood and put skin onto that which is beyond our senses. In my twenty-five years of existence, the most recurring analogy I've heard used has been that of "a race". However, not just any race... but a MARATHON.

I have always liked new challenges and a marathon had always been something I wanted to accomplish. But, more importantly, a marathon has always been something I wanted to EXPERIENCE. It is in the experience, the journey or odyssey that so much of the analogy comes to life and begins to take on a whole new meaning! While I could list hundreds (no joke) of insights gained from the experience (yes! I got to run one!)... there are a couple in particular that I want to share. My plan is to write about a few of these over the next few days:

#1-You are not the only one struggling.

One of the sad truths about pain is that it demands most all our attention. This is why it is SO DIFFICULT to not give into self-focus and pity during times of struggle and pain. Why? Because all your mind wants to focus on is the pain you feel, what is causing the pain, and how we can alleviate this pain from ourselves. If our focus is so NATURALLY consumed by our own condition... this explains why we rarely notice the pain of others around us.

What is the significance of the number 609 found in the title? It is the number of miles I had to run to PREPARE for the 26.2 I would run late January. This training was VERY difficult, and naturally what did I think about during my time of training? How difficult it was, how slow I felt, how hot it was, why was I doing this, how much my body hurt, how much I didn't want to take the hour and a half to go for a run every day in the midst of my first semester of medical school. I felt all alone in this struggle...

What did I expect race day to be like? I, like most of you, pictured: confetti, music, hands raised with "victory fist pumps", everyone running with smiles, etc. What did I see for the four and a half hours I was running? PAIN. I saw thousands of other people suffering, and it hit me like a ton of bricks... I HAVE NOT BEEN THE ONLY ONE SUFFERING ALL THIS TIME! How easily I had focused solely on my own situation, my own pain, condition, struggle, and shortcomings. And what was I doing to support, encourage, and strengthen those around me? Nothing.

Its no coincidence that I have recently (Last few months) been going through some of the hardest times of pain, struggle, and weakness in my life. And while many people warned me of these times that would come, I wish I had heard more encouragement and reminder to never forget that EVERYONE IS SUFFERING... you are not the only one in pain. So take heart. Be encouraged in your struggles, yet notice, pursue, and empower your brothers and sisters across the globe who suffer JUST LIKE YOU jake (I Peter 5:9)! The whole marathon race... I just couldn't get over how much pain I saw around me. And to think I had the arrogance to consider my plight greater than theirs during all those months.

But get this. Christ suffered with you and I in mind! While I struggle to even recognize or acknowledge the sufferings of others and not hold myself in some superior position... Christ didn't just notice your sufferings during his own suffering, He willingly CHOSE TO SUFFER FOR us! What strength, fortitude, focus, and above all... LOVE. Holy junk what love is this?

"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." -Isaiah 53:3-5

So my friends. Let us encourage one another in our sufferings, strengthen one another so that we will not fall into temptation (Hebrews 12). Do not focus solely on your own sufferings. "Join with me (Paul) in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus." -Timothy 2:3

Suffering gives us something to hope for... lets hope in God's promises (Psalm 119:50), find our significance in the Cross, and meditate on this Love in pain.

Hebrews 12, I Peter 4:1-3,12-19, Philippians 3:10, Isaiah 53, Romans 8, and 2 Cor. 1

Struggle for Significance

Howdy all!

Well, we are currently in the middle of week #6 of the Forge! I figured it was time for another update. So here it goes...

This past week we took a trip to a land far far away (and one that I cannot tell you... because several of you reading this may do the Forge one day). We were told to pack our bags for a week with certain items in our bags and told to be in the vans by 6 am Monday morning. The only information you need to know about the trip is simply that I was privileged to be put in the midst of several very influential people.

God revealed many things to me over this short span of 4 days. I learned a lot about how often I feel entitled... this entitlement collided with the entitlement of others and it was not pretty. Seeing how the selfish desires of others made me very frustrated because their selfish desires were constantly impeding upon my own selfish desires. For once, I found myself as an outsider looking in and saw what I look like so much of the time. My consumerism, selfishness, entitlement, covetousness, and desire for significance.

I saw how badly our consumer oriented church has fallen into many idolatries... and found myself as a central character. In the Christian culture, we put so many people on a pedestal and deem them as Church celebrities. I have found myself being guilty much of the time of desiring to be a significant figure within the church for my own selfish purposes. Satan is so good at twisting something that was originally pure. I really do desire to glorify the Lord alone and do all things for Him. But I so easily believe "the hype" that people feed me about myself and find myself desiring the respect and adoration of others rather than my God alone. This is ooo so dangerous! I heard Chuck Swindoll recently say that "success is very dangerous" for leadership within the Church. We so easily desire superiority and adoration.

I am realizing how often I need to remind myself of Paul's words to the Corinthians...

"For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”- I Cor. 4:5-7

Just thought I would share one of the many things God is currently revealing to me about my evil heart. It is very tough to see how twisted our hearts are at times... but I am very encouraged that God is consuming my impurities (Hebrews 12:26-29). He desires my full attention and service... He does not want to be #1 in my life... because that means there is a #2. He should be my all.

“Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?” –Isaiah 2:22

The Beginning

Hello all!

The Forge has begun! I am excited to share with each of you what the Lord is teaching me over the next 8 months. I plan to post a blog every two weeks or more in hopes to continually share the mighty things God is doing. Lately, I have been struck by how limited my knowledge of the Lord is and how amazingly unfathomable He truly is.

"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field....Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed him as his counselor? .... Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom." -Isaiah 40:6, 13, 28