Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.

James 5:13 (NKJV)

 

I recognise that when we are in pain, the last thing we want to do is worship. Worship, on the other hand, is a choice that we can make regardless of the circumstances. Rather than worrying, begin worshipping. It is more prudent to trust God and rely on His faithful promises than to wallow in misery. Worship allows God to respond to our sorrows and pains on a level that He cannot do if we neglect worship or have low expectations of God and what He can do.

God never ordained our pain or suffering, but He will use our pain to benefit us and others. Due to hardship, Ruth was forced to glean in Boaz's field, where she found favour and became a forebear of David, from whom Christ descended. David would not have composed some of his most famous psalms if he hadn't been hiding from King Saul in the Cave of Adullam. If Paul hadn't been imprisoned in Rome, he wouldn't have written all those epistles full of uplifting revelations about the mystery of God's grace through Christ.

Allowing pain to rule your life can undermine your relationship with God. However, as you worship, God will transform your heart before you notice changes in your circumstances. You will encounter a compassionate and loving Father God who will never forget or forsake you. Living in the reality of this truth will cause you to rediscover the joy and freedom that you have always had in Christ.