He doesn't waste our pain

        I lead a high school girls small group every Wednesday. Every Wednesday we share our “highs” and “lows” of that week and talk each other through what we're struggling with. Some weeks it’s boy issues, too much homework, or complaints about classmates and "stupid parents". But, some weeks it’s totally heartbreaking stories that I can't ever imagine going through. Looking into these young girl’s eyes and hearing them share how broken they feel is such a challenge. They say phrases like “God can’t even hear me” or “If God loves me why would he let this happen?” Often times I feel so conflicted trying to give them an answer. I began to think of encouraging phrases I could say to them or circumstances I could share that they might relate to. Sometimes the best I can do is cry with them, hug them, and pray with them. 

You may have heard the christian saying "God doesn't give you more than you can handle". To be totally honest...I don't think that's true. At times I believe God gives us WAY more than we can handle so we HAVE to surrender to Him! God wants us to lean and depend on Him in ALL seasons of life. You see, most of us can really relate with these high school girls. We go through “dry” seasons in our spiritual lives where we can’t fathom why God is putting us through this or questioning if he even hears us. It can often feel IMPOSSIBLE to turn to Him in these times in our lives. 

My husband Caleb and I were listening to a sermon one night that was on this topic. The pastor gave a simple answer that has stuck with me. “God doesn’t waste our pain”. As soon as I heard this phrase it immediately caught my attention. I had never thought of it that way before. We all know the classic “everything happens for a reason” but I never thought of how God uses our painful experiences to teach us. He often turns our most tragic events in life to get our attention back on Him. God is a jealous God who so desperately wants relationship with us and wants us to constantly seek him. In Exodus chapter 20 verse 5 God tells the Israelites, “You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.” We often are so consumed with our schedules, social media, or other distractions that we don't even realize we are making these things our “gods”. We are pushing the one true God, the maker of the heavens and the earth, the one who sent his son to die for us, aside. So sometimes we need a spiritual check. We need to be reminded that we can’t do this life on our own. We NEED our FATHER. 

When you began to feel a dry season coming on or are going through tragedy I urge you to turn to the One who never leaves you. We can’t always understand why things happen but I promise you that God has not stopped loving you. He has not and will never let you down. He doesn't waste your pain. He is jealous for you and He loves you oh so much. 

“No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39