How God Uses My Physical Pain to Draw Me Closer to Him
Questioning God’s Love
In the past, I have written how God has used my pain, referring to emotional pain, to draw me into a close intimate relationship with him. The events of my past caused me to seek God, and be found by him.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13
I do not believe that I would have accepted Jesus as my Savior if it were not for my great need. I am so grateful that my sins forgiven, and that I have been adopted into the family of God. Additionally, God has brought incredible healing into my life. He enabled me to forgive people who harmed me, and through forgiveness has made me whole.
In addition to emotional pain, I struggle with chronic physical pain which has worsened more recently. Instead of turning to God, I drifted away. A small part of me questioned God’s love for me.
“Defending” My God
If someone were to say to me that my pain proves that God doesn’t love me, I would loudly tell them, “My God loves me!” God has always loved me and always will. God loves me perfectly, thoroughly, completely, and forever. God doesn’t change and God’s love will not change.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8
For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
Malachi 3:6
Pain Does Not Change God’s Love
Pain doesn’t change God and pain doesn’t change God’s love for me. Pain doesn’t separate me from God’s love.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
My Pain Turns Me Back to God
I needed God too much to stay away. I should have known better. I should have returned sooner. My pain made me desperate for God. I needed God. I had still been praying every day, but I hadn’t been spending time devoted to prayer and Bible study. I learn most from God during those times. I often experience God’s presence those times.
Turning Back to God
I had temporarily allowed my pain to keep me from turning from God. I feared my pain somehow indicated God loved me less than he previously had. When I turned back to God, something interesting happened. My pain didn’t matter. Only God mattered. I didn’t matter. Nothing else mattered. Only God. The Great I AM. Creator of the Universe. Lord of Lord and King of Kings. He is my Rock, my Shelter, my Hiding Place. He is my Father, my Savior, my Comforter. I matter to God. He cares about me. He cares about my wounds and my pains.
I Need God
I had allowed my pain to keep me from God. God used my pain to turn me back to him. I need God. With or without pain I need God. Pain is what God uses to remind me of this need and turns me back to h when I wander away. God uses both my emotional and physical pain to draw me closer. I am grateful
A Prayer
Dear Father God,
Thank you that your love for us never changes. Thank you that we can turn to you in all situations, and you will be there for us. Thank you that you can even use our pain to draw us closer to you.
Father, we pray that you will comfort and heal all who are suffering emotionally, physically, or spiritually. Be the God of all comfort to us so we may share with others the comfort we receive from you.
We love you Father, with all that we are.
And it’s in the name of your Son, Jesus, that we pray.
Your grateful child,
SJR
