Darkness or Light
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. ––John 12:46
At times we all wonder why God allows us to experience such incredible pain. There seems to be no point in it. Whether it is something we did or others did to us, or even what is called today “an act of God.” In God’s perfect wisdom and outside of ours, He knows exactly what we need to bring His bright light into our dark world. Unless we are willing to accept the fact that He wants this for us, we live in a colorless, dark world.
When I received this understanding, I began to see the value of my limits and setbacks. It has helped me understand this from a constructive perspective rather than a degrading, judgmental, destructive frame of mind. This is a paraphrase of exactly what Paul was saying in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.
Paul’s handicap, or “thorn,” was a part of his life now. It was always going to be there and it was a source of struggle and pain. Instead of removing it, God used it. How we view our circumstances is a very important issue. It is God’s will for us to go from darkness to light, not for us to stumble around in our weakness, sin, and selfish desires. There’s a kind of amazing—and surprising—transformation that can happen when we stay in our pain. Not wallow in it or glorify it, but allow God to use it rather than us trying to run from it.
Go to the Father. Concentrate on His love and forgiveness, His unconditional love and His total non-condemning nature. Look up to Him with praise and recognize that you are extremely valuable to Him. In that place, He will meet you. Pain and all.
Father, thank You for your wisdom and the revelation of Your truth.