I published a short post yesterday entitled, “When it hurts like hell.” In it I talked about pain that is so bad it feels like God has abandoned you. Pain so strong it’s impossible to make any sense out of it.
While I was in no way attempting to equate anyone’s pain with unimaginable conditions of the eternal place of the damned, there are times when the only way to describe what you’re feeling is to refer to a place out of this world. A terrible place, at that.
But I’d like to make one distinction between our worst possible pain and the place called hell.
Probably the one major difference between anyone’s pain and hell is hope.
Hell offers no hope whatsoever.
Yet, even in our deepest, darkest pain there is hope.
You may have to search to find it, but if you’ll seek, you will find.
“But where should I look?”
The God of hope (Romans 15:13). He’s the only One who has been to hell, conquering it before rising from the dead.
“(I Am…) and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.” (Revelation 1:18 NASB)
“But I can’t see God when I’m feeling great, let alone when I’m in deep despair!”
Search the scriptures, the Holy Bible, God’s written word. Within its pages are stories, examples of people like you and I who experienced tremendous pain, yet somehow made it through.
You will also find exceedingly great and precious promises from God; words He’ll speak directly to your hurting heart.
“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4 NKJV)
God has NEVER promised a life (while on this earth) free of pain. He HAS promised to be at our side, and go through everything with us.
The very One Who conquered death, hell, and the grave can conquer our pain; all the while leading us in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.
So the next time it “hurts like hell”, let your pain be a catalyst for hope. Let it remind you of Jesus, Who has gone through the greatest pain ever known and yet says, “Come to Me…and find rest for your soul”.
Paul learned this truth, as he described in his second letter to the Corinthians.
“And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 – 12:10 NKJV)
Don’t allow your pain to bury you. And if you need help rising above it, reach out to the faithful God and a faithful friend.
Jan Grace 