Finding Purpose in the Pain

Tell me that You hurt for me

Tell me that You feel my pain and understand

Tell me that I matter and am cherished

Tell me I can get through anything 
with you

Tell me that it's going to be okay

Tell me that I'm not crazy or messed up

Tell me that life really isn’t just a dream and 

Bring me back to reality

Show me that there is purpose

Show me that it's all for my good and Yours

Show me that life is worth living and that my worth comes from You

Show me that I am loved beyond words

Show me that You know my pain and cry for me

Show me that You hurt for me

That was a prayer I cried to God one night with tears streaming down my face. 

I was in a place of brokenness and pain.
I was losing sight of my purpose and losing sight of God.

However, I was just blinded and couldn't see Him by my side with His comforting hand on my shoulder.

“In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33)

Everyone goes through hard times in their lives and feels broken, lost, and in pain, but God will NEVER give us more than we can handle with Him.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

We are attacked by someone who hates us and doesn't want us having an eternal relationship with Christ and he will do anything to destroy us. But even so, we can find refuge in Christ. You could be having problems with parents, school, addiction, financial problems or so many other things, but God will make things work out for good and won't leave you alone in the valley. “For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. 

It can sometimes seem like we're the only ones in despair, but a lot of people in the Bible experienced periods of suffering: Joseph in prison; Elijah in the wilderness; Paul in prison; John on Paymos; etc.

It’s comforting to know that even Jesus felt some of the same despairs. He can say, "I have endured your sorrows, experienced your struggles, encountered your temptations. I know your tears; I also have wept. The griefs that lie too deep to be breathed into any human ear, I know. Think not that you are desolate and forsaken, though your pain may touch no responsive chord in any heart on earth, look unto Me, and live" (Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 483).

God never forsakes His people. Joseph later became the ruler of all Egypt. Elijah was taken to heaven. Paul's and John's writings are still read by millions today. And Jesus is now with His Father in glory. God is refining us even through our suffering. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. 

“For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” (Romans 5:3-5)

I struggle with the pain and aftermath of sexual abuse and it has been a long road to healing and it's a fight to keeping my eyes on God and not falling into depression, but Psalms 6 is where I go to find comfort.

O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath.

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.

My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord—how long?

Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;

save me for the sake of your steadfast love.

For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?

I am weary with my moaning;

every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping.

My eye wastes away because of grief;

it grows weak because of all my foes.

Depart from me, all you workers of evil,

for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.

The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer.

All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.

Fighting is part of survival.  Consider the trees, they fight winds, drought, and injuries. There seems to be continual tragedies for them, with periods of recovery in between. Yet, it fights because it wants to accomplish the purpose the Creator gave: to give oxygen, shade, homes for animals, etc. Through it all, the tree stands mighty and strong, it's great roots deep in the soil keeping it firmly in place.

Until God restores all things that sin destroyed, He wants us to trust His judgment and decisions for our life. God will restore what Satan has destroyed in the attack, some now, the rest when Jesus comes to take His people to heaven where we'll have everlasting peace and joy.  He has a million ways to save us from Satan's attacks and the moment we start worrying, we take the place that God should have in our lives. When we want to be our own saviors we start thinking up our own solutions and yet we can't find any that are satisfactory or sufficient.

The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:4-6, “God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things”

God often allows us to go through a problem so that we can then help others. There is a purpose for your suffering. Maybe it's to help others going through the same thing and being a light in the darkness, but there is something that only you can do, that you were made for.”

Take a moment to take all this in and you may just realize the same thing I did.  

You are strong, you are powerful, and you have the King of the universe on your side!

About the Author:

Karial Ret is a 17-year-old high school senior from Egypt. She lived in Egypt until shew was six-years-old.and then moved to the U.S. Karial loves being in the outdoors and surrounded by God's creation. She also enjoys doing things with her crazy and fun group of friends. She  plays guitar and viola on the worship team at her church and shares a deep love for using music and writing to express herself. Karial has a dream to become a writer in the future.