Turning Pain Into Gain

Pain comes in many forms and fashions. Physical pain, mental pain, spiritual pain, and emotional pain. The truth is that each person on earth is either dealing with pain, dealt with pain, or will deal with pain in the future. The list could be a mile long of the sources of pain. It could be divorce, abuse, loneliness, abandonment, losing a loved one, etc. How we deal with pain will determine where we end up in life.

I love the story of Joseph. Many people focus on the beginning of his life story or the end. The beginning is Joseph receiving a dream that he would one day be great and others would bow down before him. The end of his story is Joseph being in a place of great authority and saving the day. We must focus on the middle of the story. Joseph went through much pain!

First, his brothers hated him. They hated him so much that they cast him into a pit and then sold him into slavery. After Joseph ends up in a foreign land as a seventeen year old slave, he is then lied upon and placed into prison. Joseph spends the next thirteen or so years in a cold dark dungeon that he didn’t deserve. All that Joseph did was where the coat of favor from his father and share is God given dreams. I don’t know about you but I believe this would cause some serious pain.

Joseph pursued God through his pain and God was with him every step of the way. Joseph eventually came through his pain and said, “What you meant evil against me, God turned for my good.” (Genesis 50:20).

Here are a few points about dealing with pain:

1.      Your pain will either propel you to a platform to minister to others or it will paralyze you.

a.      God allows our pain so that we can be healed then minister to those in pain.

b.      The devil will try to wound you where God wants to use you.

c.      I know people who have been paralyzed by their pain. The still live out of a bad experience that happen twenty years ago.

d.      You and I can choose to be a victim or victor.

2.      Don’t Quit in the Pit

a.      God allows pits in our lives so that we can minister from a “deeper level”.

b.      If you quit in the pit, you never reach the palace!

3.      Be thankful for the process of pain

a.      The butterfly struggles in the cocoon. His struggle to get out is what gives him strength to fly. If you bail him out he never flies.

b.      The struggle builds his muscles to fly across a yard in seconds that would’ve taken him days to crawl.

c.      Don’t always curse your crises! It may be allowed by God to strengthen you to fly!

Chosen for Impact - The Process for Power

1 Samuel 17:40, ⁴⁰And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

One of the most epic stories in the Bible is found in 1 Samuel 17 (David versus Goliath).  The outcome of this battle altered destiny, impacted Kingdoms, and birthed the beginning of a revolution (which would be manifested years later).

There is a key to this battle that we often overlook. It is the stone that David chose to sling at Goliath. The Bible records in 1 Samuel 17:40 that before David encountered the greatest giant in the world he went down to the brook to choose him a stone.

The stone in the story of David is so powerful. We can see the process that the stone journeyed through to receive momentum and force to bring down Goliath. This process is key to every believer’s life that desires to slay giants, build the Kingdom, and restore the Presence of God back to its rightful place.

Here is the Process:

1.   The Stone Is Found in the Brook. The brook represents the church. Notice that the King went to the brook to find his stone for impact. The brook is a place of preparation where the water (God’s Word) is smoothing out the rough edges. If the stone is rough or unbalanced it has the potential to miss its target (Goliath’s head).

2.   The Stone is Placed in the Shepherd’s Bag. Once you have been chosen by the King you will enter into a season of the “shepherd’s bag” which is a dark and isolated place. When you are in the bag, you will want to return to the brook! The isolation and darkness is part of the journey towards impact.

3.   The Stone Hears the Cry of the Enemy. If you thought the shepherd’s bag was tough, wait until you hear the enemy threaten your life while you’re in the dark place. The enemy’s threat is proof you are close to conquering him.

4.   The Stone is Shifted from the Shepherd’s Bag to the Sling. The sling is made up of a skinny piece of leather fastened to a stick. This is a season that seems to be utter chaos. You are barely hanging on and then your life starts spinning out of control.

5.   The Stone is Released for Impact. This is the moment that you focus in on your purpose. At this stage you realize that the chaos was intentional by the King. The spinning was actually giving you momentum and force to bring down your giant.

I encourage you to proceed through the process. Many people bail before they are released for impact. Remember that the process produces power! You may be spinning out of control but if you’re in the King’s hand you will make great impact.