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Finding Purpose in our Pain - by Shelley Myrick:
Everyone has a story to tell. Even though each story is unique there are similar themes
that we all can relate to. At some point every story will contain an element of loss and pain. We are then
faced with a choice of how we will respond. Our minds fill with questions. Why did God allow this? Will I ever stop
crying? Ultimately, we are looking for purpose in our pain. Without meaning the pain would be unbearable. Even
as Christians, armed with the promise that, “all things work together for good to those who love God”, (Romans 8:28) we struggle to accept heartache and pain.
There are no easy answers to the question of suffering, but there are some ways to regain
a sense of hope. Over the years as I have led grief support groups, the most meaningful sessions have focused on how the Lord
has brought good out of difficulties. As we watch others overcoming difficult situations, our faith is strengthened
to believe that maybe we will survive our heartache too. “The inspiring example of other people may represent the only
way for a person to climb out of hopeless despair.…hope is such a crucial ingredient in coping with pain…Someone
in despair needs a person or an idea, something to grasp onto that may provide a lifeline out of the currents of gloom. “(Yancey, 1997).
We may never fully understand the “whys” surrounding our loss, but it is in
those times that we must hold onto the fact that God is sovereign. He has a plan. “His plan can mean
adversity and prosperity, tragedy and calamity, ecstasy and joy. It envelops illness as much as health, perilous times
as much as comfort, safety, prosperity and ease…His sovereignty has dominion over all handicaps, all heartaches, and
all helpless moments. It is at work through all disappointments, broken dreams, and lingering difficulties. And even
when we cannot fully fathom why, He knows… when we cannot explain the reasons, He understands. And when we cannot
see the end, He is there nodding, yes, that is My plan.” (Swindoll, 1999).
Even as Christians, we are not immune from the effects of living in a fallen world and
may wrestle with feelings of despair. There are times when we feel as though we are alone in our sorrow. Sometimes
we may even feel as if the Lord has forsaken us. How do we fight these feelings of despair? Is there any one who really
understands?
Jesus knows what it is to be in despair. In Gethsemane he prayed, “My soul is overwhelmed
with sorrow to the point of death…” He too felt abandoned as he hung on the cross and cried out, “My God,
my God, why have you forsaken me?” These feelings were real, just like the ones that we experience at times, but
we know how the story ends. There was a reason behind the suffering of Christ. There is a reason behind our suffering
as well. We must hold onto the knowledge that there is a purpose behind our pain.
This booklet is a collection of true stories of people who have taken their “loss
to the cross” and offered them to Jesus. They are testimonies of how the Lord meets us where we are and
redeems our suffering for His glory. “…Because of his death and resurrection, we can confidently assume that
no trial, illness, divorce, unemployment, bankruptcy, or grief extends beyond the range of his transforming power. (Yancey 1997). Knowing this does not take away the longing to see our loved ones again. There are still tears of sadness
over shattered dreams, but our tears are never wasted. Jesus sees our pain and walks with us through the hurt.
It is my prayer that this booklet will be a source of hope to those who are hurting and draw them closer to the Wounded Healer
-Jesus Christ.
© 2009 by Shelley Myrick - All rights reserved “What is the Lord doing when he hides
his face? He is looking for a chamber in which to weep. He will not show you what he is thinking. He cannot at
the moment. When he’s hiding his face, you think he doesn’t care. The opposite is true. He is looking
for a chamber in which to weep…”
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