"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our inequities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."
-Isaiah 53: 5

No Pain, No Gain

I was e-mail 'chatting' with a friend this past week. In the course of our chat, they mentioned 'pain' that they are going through in an area of their life and the hope that it would be worth it. It got me to thinking about pain. We as people do everything that we can to avoid 'pain' (physical, emotional, or spiritual pain) in our lives. But when I look at my own life, I realize that without pain there is no growth. Think about it, without a little pain in your life what motivation do you have to change? To grow? To strive to a higher standard? In Hebrews 12: 6 we are told , "because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." It goes on to say, "Endure hardship as discipline, God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?" (Hebrews 12: 7) Discipline? Punishment? Hardship? Sounds painful. God uses pain to get our attention and to remind us of our need for Him and that there is SO MUCH MORE TO LIFE than most of us ever end up really living. As a Father who loves his children (parents, think how much you love your children), God uses discipline (pain) to spur us on. It works the same way in sports with my coaching or perhaps in the workplace with employees. As a football coach I use the 'pain' of a loss or a poor performance to motivate my team to a higher standard, one that before they may not have realized they could achieve. There is truth to the old saying, 'No Pain, No Gain.'

I watched the movie, The Passion Of The Christ, recently. It reminded me, in a very real way, of the pain that Jesus endured for our salvation. "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our inequities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53: 5 above) Read Luke 23: 46 below. How much I take for granted!!! I am not a smart enough theologian to understand or to explain to you 'why' all of that suffering was necessary. But I do understand this simple verse, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3: 16) Thank you, Lord! For loving all of us enough to go through the pain for our gain. Amen!

Take a moment and encourage someone this week.

I pray that all is well with you. Please let me know if you have any prayer concerns or praises. Have a great week and remember to smile :)...the Lord loves you!

In Christ,

Shan D. Hartsough

"Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.' When he had said this, he breathed his last."
-Luke 23: 46

Back