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When Our Pain Feels More Real Than God’s Presence

     After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Pet. 5:10-11 (ESV)

     For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Rom. 8:18 (NIV)

     Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the weariness-validating, peace-generating, heart-liberating voice of the Scriptures. Your Word brings us the encouragement we need, at just the right time. Today, I’m grateful for both Peter and Paul’s words about the sufferings we experience in this world. Both of these men were quite familiar with suffering, and both of them were even more familiar with your sovereign might and endless mercies.

     I sometimes forget, that until Jesus returns, suffering will be more the norm than the exception. Everything and everyone is broken, so to suffer is to be human and alive. The Day of no more “death, mourning, crying, or pain” is coming (Rev. 21:4); but that Day is not yet. But until that Day, there is you, and all the grace we will need to suffer to your glory.

     In the “bigger scheme”, as Peter said, all suffering is just for a “little while”—though sometimes it feels like “all the time.” Father, when life hurts the most, remind us (in our heart of hearts) that you are the “God of all grace”—the one who has called us to “eternal glory”, and that you will most definitely “restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish” us. Make your presence more real than our pain. Make your grace more substantive than our sufferings.

     And grant us, like Paul, the joyful assurance that “the glory that will be revealed to us” will make all the sufferings of our brief journey in this world seem like weightless feathers, compared to the weight of glory that will land on us when Jesus returns. Hallelujah! Until that Day, grant us grace to steward our pain as a gift, making us more compassionate and merciful to others. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus, faithful and beautiful name.

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