What About My Pain? Series

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• What now? I belong to Jesus and what now? Life is good, no problems, healthy, wealthy, and living large for Jesus, RIGHT? ?

• Well, the good news is that with Jesus, life is good, but life is not always easy.

• We have examined some of the various implications for one’s life when they give it to Jesus.

• Today we ask the question, what about my pain. Now that I am in Christ, shouldn’t I be exempt from pain. I am not really talking about sore backs and sore knees, but rather the anxieties, the deep emotional pains from for some, back to childhood.

• I think one of the things that can happen when we come to Christ, is that we have this misconception that if we struggle with the pain of loss, or the pain from the scars from childhood, or destroyed relationships, that we are less of a Christian because of it.

• My own experience tells me as well as my over 22 years in ministry tells me that some, or many people, when they are struggling (and next week we will conclude this series that will address our struggles) with the various pains in life, they feel a level of shame.

• That shame will cause them to simply suffer on silence.

• They do not want the seemingly perfect people around them to know they are struggling.

• By the way, this shame only increases when we give off vibe that life is perfect, and I do not struggle with pain.

• I take my pain right to Jesus, so therefore, I am unaffected by it.

• Listen, those of us who live in the real world are keenly aware of the pain life can bring.

• We are painfully aware of the devastation that the loss of loved ones, the damage from childhood, the scars from broken marriages as well as the pain of dealing with accidents and disease can bring to us.

• I am going to gently and respectfully suggest that pain is a part of life, and as Christians we are not exempt from pain; however, our lives do not have to be driven of defined by the pain.

• Now I am going to tell you something that will sound like the typical Sunday School answer when it comes to dealing with pain, there is a cure and we are going to talk about that today.

• What I am going to suggest is that you do not have to suffer alone, you do not have to let the pains of life define you.

• Today turn with me to 2 Corinthians 1:3-8.

• Let’s begin with verse 3!

• SLIDE #2

• 2 Corinthians 1:3 (CSB) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

SERMON

• Where do you go when you are facing some pain from life? Where do you turn when a spouse has left you, or damaged you in some way? What do you turn to hide the pain of the scars from childhood?

• When you are hurting how do you cope, how do you cover it?

• We all have some mechanism for dealing with pain. Maybe we do not allow anyone to get close to us thinking that we then are protecting ourselves from being hurt?

• Maybe we became the school bully to hide the pain that was inflicted upon us by a parental figure?

• Some turn to drugs and alcohol, and other addictions as they try to drown out the pain.

• Some chose isolation.

• We all try to do something to compensate for the pain.

• When I was dealing with the kidney stone a few weeks ago, I am the type that does not like to even take an aspirin.

• Usually I try to suck it up and ignore it. I have had knee issues since I was hit by a car when I was twelve. I have learned to live with it.

• Others hear live in constant pain and you know there comes a point where you need to do something.

• For me the kidney stone had me begging for painkillers.

• So, what do you when the pain is screaming out at you and it is so bad you have to do something?

• Might I suggest there is a better way to deal with the pain of life other than insolation, shame, drugs, and other addictions.

• Here comes the Sunday School answer! Wait for it, you will be amazed

• SLIDE #3

I. When in pain, turn to God.

• Now we need to understand who wrote the book of 2 Corinthians, it was the apostle Paul who had endured more pain and hardship in life as a RESLT of his relationship with Jesus than ever before.