God’s Plan for My Pain

In review if 1 Peter 4:19 it says, “If you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you” (NLT).

Today’s verse from 1 Peter 4:19 tells me that if I’m suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust my life to the God who created me, for he will never fail me.

God's Word is filled with the counsel to trust Him, regardless of my situation. Each day I’m learning how trust works. (1) Trust overcomes fear. Genuine trust in God says, "Whatever mess I'm in, my heavenly Father will lead me." (2) Trust overcomes depression. No matter how overwhelming the situation or how low it makes me feel, God can draw me back to the light. (3) Trust overcomes hate. When careless or cruel people hurt me, sometimes irreparably, I can hate forever or I can trust God, but I can't do both. God is there to steady even the worst situation, always with a promise, always with hope. Therefore I need to commit my life to him for safekeeping. Rely on him when I face my worst circumstances.

Remember what photography was like before everything went digital? When you took a picture, the first thing you’d get was a negative. Then you had to develop the negative into a positive by going into a darkroom and shining a light through it onto photographic paper. This turned the negative into a positive full-color photograph. That’s what God wants to do with the injustices in our lives. We all have them. People have mistreated us. They’ve passed over us. They’ve taken advantage of us. God wants to take all the negatives, shine the light of Jesus through them, and turn them into positives — a full-color picture of the life we were made to live.

The Bible says, “If you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you” (1 Peter 4:19 NLT). The most important thing I can remember when I’ve been or being treated unfairly is that Jesus is on my side. There is no sin that God judges more harshly, except maybe pride, than that of injustice. Throughout Scripture, God shows special care for people who are treated unfairly. He is a God of justice. He hears my cries, sees my pain, and knows I were I hurt and where didn’t get what I thought I deserved. But God has a plan for my pain.

When I shine the light of God’s love through my circumstances, he can turn my pain into a beautiful picture. He develops my character through it. He makes me stronger. Most importantly, he uses my pain. I may never get an explanation for much of the pain I endure in this life. Perhaps when I get to heaven, I may understand more about why bad things happened to me. But God does not owe me an explanation for it. But here’s the good news: I don’t need an explanation. I just need to know that God loves me. He has a plan for me. God will settle the score with whoever hurt me. God never wastes a hurt. Welcome the light of the Gospel into it and God will use my hurt and the very real injustice that has happened to me, to create a beautiful picture through my life.

Bottom Line:

If your suffering in a way that pleases God, keep on doing what's right and trust him.

What this means to me:

So if I am suffering according to God’s will, I need to keep on doing what is right and trust myself to the God who made me, for he will never fail me.

In summary, If I'm suffering, keep on doing what is right and trust God. My trust will help overcome fear, depression and hate. God will help steady even the worst of situations. I can rely on him even in the worst of circumstances. God wants to take all the negatives, shine the light of Jesus through them, and turn them into positives.God has a plan for me and for my pain.

Father I thank you for your work and investment in me. You are using tough times, situations and pains to development for your purposes. I pray this morning Father that you help me see your purpose in what I experience and your guidance for how I should handle them. Help me guide others through this time and help me to respond in a loving manner towards others. I ask these things through your Son Jesus name, amen!