“Going a litle farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me not as I will, but as you will” – Mathew 26:39
Jesus cried out to his father, with heartache and pain, just hours before he went to the cross; asking God If there was any other way. His pain had become almost unbearable. If I’m completely honest with you, my prayers recently have sounded very similar at times. I have myself going through something really hard and painful; then to find myself on my knees begging God to ease my heartache. That day in the garden, Jesus knew his father had a plan. He knew his father loved him and therefore he could trust his Father’s plan. And yet, for a moment, he found himself in so much pain that he wondered if there was another way.
“For I know the plans I have for you; declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, and not harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future” -Jeremiah 29:11
Even though I know that God has a plan for my life, and it’s a good plan, that will help me to prosper; the pain I feel when going through something hard, can completely overwhelm me. It brings me to a point of complete despair, crying out to God that the cup is too much to bear.
“ But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken” -Psalms 33:11
When we hit this moment in our heartache, feeling like we can’t endure any more, begging God to fix the situation and relieve our pain, will be when Satan sneaks litle lies right into our highway of thoughts to discourage us. “I’m not good enough. I knew they didn’t love me. I knew I would fail. I can’t do anything right. People never change. They don’t deserve my forgiveness. What is the point in even trying?” Do these thoughts sound familiar? Be honest. Are you human like me? I’ve learned we have two options in this moment. We can listen to lies. Which then leads to anger, biterness, and resentment. Or we can stop, breathe, and remind ourselves that God has a plan for our lives. Ask ourselves: Could it be that God would allow me to go through this for a reason? Could it be that God could use my pain to grow my faith? Or possibly to help someone who is going through something similar? Could it be that my pain and experience could be used to further God’s kingdom? I say YES!
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. -James 1:3
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 an endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. -Romans 5:3-5
There came a day that I decided to say “God, I realize that people around me aren’t perfect. I understand that people are going to hurt me; sometimes that being the people I love the most. I realize that this life on earth isn’t going to be perfect! I know I’m going to experience hurt and pain, but I trust you and your plan. I trust that you will give me the strength to endure. I ask that you help me to keep the right perspective. God, allow trials in my life to strengthen my faith, build up my character, and bring me closer to you. Teach me Lord how to rejoice in my suffering. Teach me how to go through pain in this life and come out of that pain with forgiveness and grace towards it. I thank you God that you are molding me and teaching me how to trust you wholeheartedly. Your word tells me in Proverbs 3:5; to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean no onto your own understanding” Lord, I trust you.
And that my friends was the day that it all changed for me. As tears ran down my face, my perspetive shifted. If you are struggling today with a broken heart or have found yourself in a situation that seems unbearably painful; I want, you to know that God hears your cries. He sees your pain. You are not alone. I’ve been there. Hurt in some of the deepest ways by the people that I love the most. That pain no longer has a hold on me. My pain no longer keeps me in a place of biterness and resentment. Through pain, I want to bring you the same peace that only God can give. Your sisters-in-Christ want to pray for you. Reach out. Let today be your day.
Love in Christ-
Nikki