Growing Includes Pain

Hebrews 12:11

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

I have many good memories of doing things with my Dad, but one that stands out is the day he drove me to the doctor's office with my nose broken. I foolishly got into a fight with another student in the halls of the high school and took a clean shot to my face that splattered blood everywhere. As we drove in the car, Dad did not scold or get angry but quietly asked if I was ok. I felt no judgment from him. He knew that the consequences of a painful swollen face and missing a part of my basketball season was enough to teach me a lesson. I'll also never forget how the doctor put his knee on my chest, shoved an instrument up my nose and pulled upward to straighten out the crooked bone.

Trials in our lives many times come because we make bad decisions. They can produce painful periods where we wonder if we will ever see the end of it or if God will "fix it". We pray, "Lord, please get me out of this mess." What if God's answer is "No, I spent a lot of effort getting you into this trial because I want you to learn this important lesson." He wants you to be trained by the tough times you are going through…not because He is mad at you, and you need to do something to placate His anger…but because He is shaping you to be more like Jesus and He loves you too much to let you stay the way you are.

Tell Him, like King David did, "Lord, search me, test me and know my anxious thoughts…see if there is any offensive way in me." Then listen when He answers with how He wants you to grow. Dive into the Scriptures and let the Spirit direct where you read. You'd be surprised how many times you end up finding something that smacks you right upside the head with an obvious rebuke and correction for your ways.

The key to your growth is how soon you look past the pain, get your nose into the Word, and quiet your heart to listen to His still small voice. Yes, it will come when you set aside all of the distractions and stop fidgeting trying to figure out who to blame. Your peace will follow as you learn from Him.