Pain is part of living.
While chilling in the bathtub soaking my aching body in Epson salts, a song waffled over the airwaves. It was about Jesus going beyond me to show me how to rest.
This resonated big time. If I felt this way both physically and mentally, He had to go even further to show me how to rest – the mental state that victory was already mine – in the midst of my current battle.
Then the Spirit brought to mind a man hanging on a cross – a thief serving a death sentence. Jesus went to a cross where a man would hang next to Him, who would curse Him but would also put his faith in Jesus that very day.
Jesus, experiencing pain infinitely greater than mine (may I say yours too?), was at rest. He, not His pain, was in complete control. And because He was, He had a life-saving conversation with that man.
Jesus’ love for His Father sent Him through unimaginable pain in order to reach that man. We are going home to Jesus someday because of that kind of love.
Pain is part of living this side of heaven. We can either focus on it or use it to reach others for Jesus. How far will our love for Jesus go?