Perspectives

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17… 13) But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14) He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15) So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 16) May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17) encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (NIV)

Ouch, that hurts: Something we say many times a day. But did you know that pain can be good? It can be God’s warning device that whatever hurts needs attention. When warning lights come on we pay attention; if we do not we will pay the price sooner then later. Pain has its rightful place either good or bad.

Scientists claim they can measure the amount of pain we feel. They can determine what hurts more and what hurts less, but I do not think they are able to measure the pain we feel in our hearts. I am persuaded that pain is part of God’s wisdom and there is no way you or I can avoid this experience. We can learn from the experience with a positive attitude or we can be destroyed by the experience.

Remember the last time you changed the furniture in your house and you got up in the middle of the night and banged your toe against the sharp edge on the night table? Did you say, “Ouch, that hurts” or did you say “#*@#…”? I can still feel it: But when I do it again the next night then it is time to adjust to our new surroundings. Heart hurts are like that, we need to search the Scripture for guidance and adjust to our new challenges … Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and light to my path (Psalm 119:105).

When people suffer (heart hurts) we need to pick them up and encourage them: That is what the apostle Paul did when the people in Thessalonica were being misled by false teachers. Too often we turn our heads and go the other way. Or we might try and be like the Good Samaritan and encourage people whose faith is being battered and bruised.

Paul does not pray that God should take away the hurt; did you notice that? But, rather; that God should strengthen them in their experience. Somehow, we learn best when we are tested. We want things to be perfect, no fuss, no bother; none of this out of sorts skirmishes. But life just is not that kind to us, some how we need those bumps in the night.

Tough times help to develop our understanding. The Christian is not called to twiddle their thumbs and live in a dream world; we are called to fight the good fight. We are never left to fight alone. God who gives us our marching orders also provides the strength for us to win. We Christians can regard this present hardship as a light thing in comparison with the glory that we shall soon enjoy.

The prophet Isaiah puts it this way… Isaiah 43:2… “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (NIV)

I think this is what he is trying to say to us, that God will watch over us and continue to love us even though we fail at times. He is just as anxious as we are to find our way through the hurtful bumps and bruises… To God Be the Glory

Would you pray this prayer with me?… “Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I do not have peace in my heart, I really want that peace, joy, and happiness that I long for. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will bring honour to Your Name.” Amen