MONDAY, JUNE 26, 2017
FINDING PURPOSE IN YOUR PAIN
READ 2 CORINTHIANS 12:8-12
MEMORISE: To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Know how the pearl came to be? In the beginning, it is only a grain of sand. That tiny little irritant slips inside the tight seal of an oyster’s shell, and immediately causes discomfort. With no way to expel the grain of sand, with no way to ease the pain, the oyster coats the sand with a layer of the inner lining of its shell to make the sand smooth. But still, this does not ease the oyster’s suffering. Again and again the oyster coats the sand, and all the attempts to get rid of the irritant, have little effect. As far as an oyster is concerned, what we call a “pearl” is nothing more than great suffering. But one day the oyster is fished from the water and opened, the gem inside has amazing beauty and holds great market value – all because the oyster had great suffering.
From a logical point of view, it would seem that God would free or reward with less pain, those who do good as saints, missionaries, church planters and pastors. But even David, the man after God’s heart, and Paul, the graced Apostle, didn’t get a pass from pain (Psa 119:67,71,75).
When pains happen as it would, God’s purpose and power are hidden therein (Rom 8:28). Discover them. And the only way to do that is to be in tune with God who gives and understands the purpose. The closer you become, the more you know of His purpose for everything, including pains, in your life. With prayer and patience, the pains would become gains.

PRAYER POINTS:
1. Holy Spirit, give me the sensitivity to see into Your mind for Your purpose for any situation in my life.
2. Oh Lord, make me glad according to the days and years I have been afflicted, and have seen evil.
3. Pray that God should stop preachers from giving prospective converts the wrong impression that once one comes into Christ, all ‘problems’ are gone.

EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Obadiah 1