Comfort in Discomfort

Our small group chatted recently about a comment our pastor mentioned a few Sundays ago. The comment left some of us scratching our heads and trying to understand how we really felt about it. Our pastor said that he's noticed a common thread stated by people who experience hardships. They all said they would not change their bad experiences because they now value the good lessons they learned following their trials. The common sentiment was that the pain and hard lessons were worth it in order to grow. I intellectually understood this point, but my physical and emotional, pain-understanding being, disagreed! Do I want to experience hurt and discomfort just to learn how to lean into God and understand that He is my shelter and Comforter? The answer is no, not really. I'd rather just know it.

Unfortunately, that's not the way it works. We live with our human nature, ripe with opportunities for exercising freewill. This freewill can positively and negatively impact our lives or the lives of others. I shouldn't even say "or". Our choices always impact the lives of others too. The choices made from freewill all around us, open the door to the creation of painful experiences. So - hurt and discomfort is unavoidable.

When we tune into God and let Him be our Father, it's at that point that we can at least gain something valuable from our painful experiences and try to shield ourselves from creating more pain through our choices. I was reading Hebrews 12 and verses 1-17 had compelling words about endurance and how God "chastens", or corrects, the ones He loves - the ones who are willing to listen to Him - the ones who are willing to follow and be his children. I reflected on how it's generally true that the people you care about are the ones you lecture, warn, and rebuke. They are the ones you love enough to try to protect and guide their future. I do this as a parent, and God does this to us too, knowing what perils and threats may be awaiting us.

What is most intriguing about Hebrews 12 was verses 11-13, which basically say - yes, it stinks to learn through painful experiences; who would enjoy this - no one! BUT, after the pain, the "peaceable fruit of righteousness" is guaranteed to us. This is a promise that we can all hold on to. With this promise, the verses 12-13 say: pick yourself up! Don't be down and out when you are going through the muck.

"Lift up your hands," "and the feeble knees," "make straight paths for your feet."

Change your attitude when you are experiencing the pain, the doubt, the fear - whatever it happens to be. Think instead on the peace and righteousness that is waiting on the other side of your current experience. Hebrews promises that fixing your attitude will "heal" your paths and keep away bitterness. (Hebrews 12:13, 15) For the right now, just exist in thankfulness that you are a son or daughter of God, that God promises to never leave you, and importantly, that God has given you an expectation of peace that you can experience and tap into today.

Be safe and blessed!