Profit from Pain

Believers Ministry Daily Devotional

7-21-09

Donna Braman

Today Is The Day The Lord Has Made And I Shall Rejoice In It!

PROFITING FROM PAIN

Read: Psalm 23:5-6

People rarely think of suffering as profitable. But when facing the difficulty and pain of a valley experience, we mature spiritually. We make discoveries about ourselves when trials peel away that facade we've created on the outside and our inner selves are exposed. As our life is shaken, we learn what forms our faith: the Scriptures, the preoccupation with self or our popularity with man. Consequently, valley experiences reveal priorities, spiritual crutches, and whether we boast of Christ or our own strength. God's purpose is to wrench away everything we depend on until nothing competes with Jesus' reign.

Crutches and bravado are to be replaced by a real dependence upon God. Believers are encouraged to recall that He provides for our needs. Psalm 23, and he prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies. He heals our wounds, he anoints my head with oil. (vs. 5) A good shepherd rubbed oil onto the scrapes his sheep received while foraging on. In that way, healing began before the animal left the valley floor. As a result of relying on our Sheperd, we experience renewed intimacy and a sense of inner peace that sustains us through the challenge and beyond.

SEED WORD:

God's children can profit from pain only by accepting the Father's work in the valleys. Fighting or crying or blaming gains us nothing. Accepting means asking the Lord two questions: What is Your will for me at this time? Lord, how am I to respond to this valley? Whatever the Lord's response, our next step is submitting ourselves and all we have to Him with the knowledge that our valley is really a gateway to His purpose and will for our life.