No Pain, No Gain(God Encounters, Pt. 3)

I’ve been talking about God Encounters the past few weeks. One moment in God’s presence can change everything in your life. I believe He desires to have more encounters with us! My desire is that your faith rests in the fact that your opinion and your attitude cannot change because you've met God yourself and you've had experience with Him. Because you've had that encounter with Him, your life has been changed.

But how does God move in your darkest day - the day of your worst news, your greatest tragedy, the loss of a loved one? What does God do in those moments? Ps 34:18 tells us the Lord is close to the broken-hearted. He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. God is making moves toward you in your dark days. So, with this understanding, how can we better respond to the pain of our dark days? God helps us stand strong and in the darkest days comes close to us. Not only is He close to us but He uses these days in our lives. Most major lessons can be learned in these days and we can benefit if we take note and listen. Pain does not always have to be a problem. Pain can be a platform for God to do something great in your life if you know how to recognize and respond to it. No pain, no gain!

God is bigger than your darkest day. Thank him in these times. Don't cower in condemnation and shame, but allow conviction to lead you into change. Seek God in order to find the purpose He has for you. When we realize how big God is and see ourselves clearly, we are made ready to enter into the calling He has for us. Romans 8:28 (AMP) says, “And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.”

Redefine a bad day and let it be a spring board for something good in your life. You pain is either a jail that imprisons you or a school that empowers you. In dark days,
1) Instead of running away from God, run to him. He has not let you down. He is always working. Seek Him wholeheartedly.
2) Take steps to grow. It's time to step up.
3) Allow God to use what you've been through to help others. The thing that you think disqualifies you is actually what qualifies you. That area where have you been hurt the most is where you can help the most.