Episode 105

Purpose In The Pain

Sunday, August 31, 202536 min

Join Pastor Greg as he continues his series titled "Strange Miracles".

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Devotionals from This Message

Five short reflections drawn from this message — Monday through Friday.

Daily devotion

Breaking the Cycle of Pain

Thursday

"There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days." - Acts 28:7

Pain changes us—there's no way around this truth. When we experience hurt, especially deep or repeated hurt, it alters how we see ourselves, others, and even God. Many of us unconsciously adopt an identity shaped by our wounds: "I'm a product of my circumstances. I'm a product of my pain."

But while pain inevitably affects us, it doesn't have to define us. The danger comes when we allow our hurts to become our identity, viewing everything through the lens of past wounds. This perspective creates a cycle where hurt people hurt people—we pass on the very pain we've experienced.

God offers a different path. Instead of being defined by our pain, we can be defined by His healing work in our lives. This doesn't mean denying or minimizing our suffering. Rather, it means allowing God to transform our wounds instead of just carrying them forward.

When we cling to our pain—whether through bitterness, a victim mentality, or walls of self-protection—it changes who we are, often in ways we don't recognize. But when we surrender our pain to God, He can break this cycle and begin a new one where healed people heal people.

"If you hang on to the pain, it changes you. It changes who you are."

Reflect: In what ways might you be allowing past pain to define your identity or influence how you treat others, rather than letting God's healing define who you are becoming?

Prayer: Lord, I confess the ways I've allowed my pain to define me. I don't want to be merely a product of my hurts and disappointments. Transform my wounds so they no longer determine who I am or how I treat others. Help me break the cycle of hurt people hurting people. I want my life to demonstrate the power of Your healing. Amen.

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Message summary

God doesn't cause our pain, but He uses it for His purpose and glory. As demonstrated in Paul's shipwreck and snake bite experience in Acts 28, even when circumstances aren't part of God's ideal plan, He works through them. Many people move on from pain without truly healing, carrying hidden venom that affects their relationships and outlook. The true purpose of our pain is revealed when, like Paul, we use our healed wounds to bring healing to others. Just as Paul's bitten hand became the hand that healed the sick on Malta, our painful experiences can become channels of God's healing power for others.

Finding Purpose in Pain: Lessons from Paul's Shipwreck and Snake Bite

It's a difficult concept to grasp, but there is purpose in our pain. This truth isn't easy to accept, especially when we're in the midst of suffering. But understanding how God works through our painful experiences can transform how we view our struggles.

God Doesn't Cause Pain, But He Uses It

First, we need to understand an important distinction: God doesn't cause the pain in our lives. Some of us have been hurt and we've been blaming God for something He never did. What God does is use our pain for His purpose and for His glory. In Acts 28, we find Paul shipwrecked on the island of Malta. But here's the thing - Paul wasn't even supposed to be in that storm! Earlier, Paul had warned against sailing, prophesying danger ahead. The leaders didn't listen, and disaster struck just as Paul predicted. This reveals something profound: it wasn't God's purpose for Paul to go through the storm. It wasn't part of God's plan for him to be shipwrecked. God had other plans. Yet God still used those circumstances for His purpose and glory.

Can Someone Else Ruin God's Plan for You?

This story teaches us that someone else can't ruin God's plan for you. Some of us get stuck thinking, "They did this and they did that, and now everything is messed up." We blame all our problems on somebody else. But God isn't wringing His hands when our circumstances don't follow His ideal plan. Instead, He says, "I'll use this portion and this portion for My glory and My purpose." He takes even the pain we go through and uses it for His purpose, even when that pain wasn't His will. This is the meaning of Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose." All things means both the things according to His plan and the things that weren't part of His plan. He uses all of it - the good, the bad, the pain - for His glory.

When the Snake Bites: Dealing with Unexpected Pain

After surviving the shipwreck, Paul was helping gather wood for a fire when a viper latched onto his hand. Just when things seemed to be looking up, another crisis struck. Doesn't that feel familiar? One thing after another after another. It's often in our weakest moments, when we're already exhausted from one storm, that Satan (that old serpent) tries to bite us with offense, bitterness, and poison. It's strategic - where he bites you and how it happens.

Shaking It Off vs. True Healing

Paul's response was to shake off the snake into the fire. We might think the miracle is in the shaking off - just moving on and saying "I'm fine, I'm over it." But I've learned that moving on isn't the same as healing. You can shake it off and still have the wounds. You can shake it off and still carry the bitterness. You can shake it off because you moved on, but still carry the pain of what took place. That pain affects how you see things, how you operate, and how you move forward. Many people put up walls and barriers, thinking, "I won't let them hurt me anymore." They believe they've shaken it off, but they've only moved locations while the venom still flows through their veins.

Signs You've Moved On Without Healing

How can you tell if you've just moved on without truly healing? Here are some signs: - You constantly tell people, "Look what happened to me" - You focus on how you didn't deserve the pain - You show your scars and pick at them to make them fresh again - You seek validation and sympathy from others - You define yourself by your pain Like Naomi in the Bible who changed her name to Mara (meaning "bitterness"), some people become products of their circumstances and pain. They used to be joyful, but now they bring everyone down. That's what happens when you're bitten and don't truly heal.

The Real Purpose of Pain Revealed

I used to think the purpose of Paul's miracle was simply that he healed and people saw him differently. The locals first thought Paul was a murderer being punished by the gods, then changed their minds and thought he was a god himself when he didn't die from the bite. But reading further in Acts 28:7-9 reveals the true purpose: "In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed." The same hand that was bitten became the hand that healed others. That's the real purpose of our pain.

Healed People Heal People

Just as hurt people hurt people, healed people heal people. Paul was able to take the very hand that had been bitten just three days before - the hand that had been hurt and could have been filled with bitterness - and use it to bring healing to somebody else. The purpose of your pain isn't just that you heal from it. The purpose is that you can help somebody else heal from it too. There's a reason God will use your pain for His glory, if you allow Him. Someone out there needs you to heal so that they can heal. Someone needs you to experience healing in your life, to let go and move forward in God's glory, so that you can bring healing to them. That's the purpose of pain - not that your reputation changes, but that His reputation spreads through your healed life.

Life Application

This week, I challenge you to look at your pain differently. Instead of asking "Why did this happen to me?" ask "How can God use this experience to help others?" Take these steps: 1. Identify an area where you've been hurt but have only moved on, not truly healed. 2. Surrender that pain to God and ask Him for complete healing. 3. Look for opportunities to use your experience to bring healing to someone else going through something similar. Ask yourself: - Am I still defining myself by my past hurts? - Have I truly allowed God to heal me, or have I just moved on? - Who in my life might need the healing that can come through my healed wounds? - What would it look like to use my painful experiences to bring healing to others? Remember, the hand that was bitten became the hand that healed. Your healed wounds can become channels of God's healing power for others.

Summary

Pastor Jared preaches on finding purpose in pain, emphasizing that while God doesn't cause our pain, He uses it for His glory and purpose. Using the story of Paul's shipwreck and snake bite in Acts 28, he illustrates how simply moving on from pain isn't the same as healing. Many people carry their hurts and bitterness even after they think they've 'shaken it off,' which changes who they are and how they interact with others.

The true purpose of our pain is revealed when Paul uses the same hand that was bitten by the snake to heal others. The pastor emphasizes that 'hurt people hurt people, but healed people heal people.' Our healing isn't just for our own benefit - God wants to use our healed wounds to bring healing to others who are suffering similar pain. This is the ultimate purpose of our pain: that through our healing, others might find healing as well.

Intro Prayer

Heavenly Father, as we gather to discuss how You can use our pain for Your purpose, open our hearts to receive Your healing. Help us to see beyond our hurts to the ways You want to work through our healed wounds. Give us the courage to truly shake off bitterness and offense, not just move on while carrying the poison. Guide our conversation today, and show each person here exactly what You want them to learn about the purpose in their pain. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Purpose In The Pain

Transcript

Devotionals from This Message

Breaking the Cycle of Pain

Continue listening

Lukewarm Christian

Feed the Crowd

Message summary

Finding Purpose in Pain: Lessons from Paul's Shipwreck and Snake Bite

God Doesn't Cause Pain, But He Uses It

Can Someone Else Ruin God's Plan for You?

When the Snake Bites: Dealing with Unexpected Pain

Shaking It Off vs. True Healing

Signs You've Moved On Without Healing

The Real Purpose of Pain Revealed

Healed People Heal People

Life Application

Group Discussion Guide

Summary

Intro Prayer

Ice Breaker

Key Verses

Questions

Life Application

Key Takeaways

Ending Prayer