God Will Not Protect Us From....

Recently I was at a function and I always love it when I am in a teachable mood and come away having learned something that effects my life. I have been struggling this past year with how hard the journey can often be. Not understanding why it has to be so hard and how it seems that sometimes the pain will not end. Not only does the pain seem to not end but it seems that the pain gets deeper and deeper. From the outside it seems to creep into the very center of my soul and heart and the pain often times is almost more than I can endure and I know that I am not alone in my journey. Many suffer and many more suffer far worse than I do.

Pain is a part of life. Entergeral to our growth and progression. No one has lived without it and it seems that for some reason pain is ordained of God. What is the purpose of pain? Why does there have to to so much pain?

What I learned that day is a principle older than life is, it's simply that "God will not protect us from the pain that will perfect us". That amazing principle for some reason gives me hope and helps me to understand that there is a greater plan, far greater than my comprehension. There is a reason and purpose for pain. In thinking and looking back over the years I have come to realize that from my greatest pain and my deepest wounds come the greatest gold.

Think about that for a moment. Pain and wounds turned into gold. For me it means that the lessons learned and the process of growing have really made me who I am today. The strengths that I have are a direct result of the pain I have often felt.

Right in the middle of it all the pain makes no sense and I often allow the frustrations and anger cloud my vision. It's hard to see growth when we are pushed beyond what we think we can endure at the moment.

I have thought a lot about the Gold. The gold that comes from suffering. I had the impression that pain can be turned to gold when we look to a higher power. My higher power is the Savior. For others it might be the God of Israel or Mohammand or Budda, but as we look to our higher power the pain and suffering can change and will be turned into gold. And for some reason when I think that my pain can be turned into gold it gives me a sense of purpose and hope.

What do we than do with the gold we earn and develop from our pain? Another good question. If God's purpose is to make gold out of our pain there must be a reason other than just for my personal misery and pain. I believe that when we have our gold we turn it in. If we hang onto it is becomes useless and of no value. But if we turn it in the value increases and we are far richer. Turning it in is simply blessing the lives of those around us. The gold we have gained is for the distinct purpose of blessing others. Infact I think that it's sole purpose is to bless those around us.

My abbusive horrible childhood and young adult years are some of my deepest wounds and as I have looked back and realize how much I have learned and what I have been able to do with what I have learned I am amazed. My deepest wounds have indeed been literally gold in the lives of those I have shared it with and truth be told in my own personal life.

God will not protect us from the pain that will perfect us and it will perfect us if we help others on the road to perfection. Perfection for me is just understanding the gold I have gained and understanding that it increased in value when I bless those around me. My bank is pretty full. How is your bank doing?

Enjoy the Journey

Brad