It’s Gonna Hurt
Yeah, it'll hurt . . .
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
John 16:33 NIV
And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18 AMP
John 16:33 became my life verse in college. However, I kind of skipped over a couple of things and just went straight to the good part - I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD!!!!
I missed in Me you will have peace and totally glided right over the words in this world you will have trouble!
I mean if you can skip the broccoli and eat the cake, why not?!
God is teaching my heart the purpose of pain and suffering. Has it hurt, holy cow, YES!!!! A hundred times over YES!
What am I learning:
- peace comes ONLY from Abba - in Me
- as long as I'm on earth I will have trouble - it's written in red
- also written in the red blood shed for me are such powerful words that have to be clung to during hard I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD - I haven't been left to figure this out myself, Abba, HIMSELF, is leading me to the other side
- why, oh why, the hard - so I can be progressively transformed into HIS likeness with ever-increasing glory - My Daddy is taking me on a journey to love me and shape me into being more like Him
Over and over and over again as I'm lamenting the tough road in my life, I hear dear friends' heartbreaking stories - their own laments, their hurting, their aching. The roads we are traveling bring intense pain - praise God He has overcome and that this suffering, if we will allow, can transform our hearts to reflect His glory.
Psalm 66:8 - 12
but You brought us to a place of abundance.
As only God can do, He brought me to this passage in Psalms. These verses show us that God's goodness and faithfulness sandwich in the trials. Like the two pieces of bread hold the meat, cheese, etc. together, God is holding us.
Verses 8 and 9 are praising God for preserving our lives and keeping our feet from slipping.
Then the "it's gonna hurt" part. The testing, the refining, the prisons and burdens - all part of the progressive transformation.
Thankfully, verse 12! We will go through fire and water, but You bring us to places of abundance. The AMP version adds: to be refreshed. The Passion Translation translates verse 12:
You’ve allowed our enemies to prevail against us.We’ve passed through fire and flood,yet in the end You always bring us out better than we were before,saturated with Your goodness.
How? I DO NOT KNOW - that's a story only HE can write ~
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We will come out better than before…
This really struck me – I hadn’t thought about it like that.
Thank you so very much!
I needed that reminder…the refining process of pain is hard. But it is all for His good and glory!
I want to be saturated with His goodness, even in the midst of hard and heartbreaking!! Good words!