Devotion #11
Devotion from: More Graffiti; Devotions for Girls
No Pain, No Gain
"I'd say my life really runs smoothly. Sure, I've got a few small problems, but who doesn't? I figure the chances of something really bad happening to me aren't that great."
Do bad things ever happen to good people? Do you figure your life will go on pretty much problem free? Most people your age feel, Who gives a rip about suffering? I've got most of what I need now in life. Unless you've lost something you really love, it's difficult to imagin what real suffering feels like. Here's what the Bible says,
"If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name" ~1 Peter 4:15,16 (NIV)
Pain is a part of life. As a Christian, your pain and suffering go with the territory. If you've ever given up popularity because you think differently from your friends, or given up a joint, or cheap sex for a night, you know a little bit of what it means to suffer because you are a Christian. At the moment, you may have felt some pain, some restlessness. In a small way, it's suffering. If your dad or your brother died, though, that's a bigger kind of suffering, and how you handle your suffering tells the world something about you as a person. You can expect pain in your life. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but someday you will know the pain of losing something you love. It's at that moment that the Bible says Christians act differently. Yes, they cry, they feel anger, hurt, discouragement, like anyone else. But inside, there's a hope that says, Hey, this is not the end of the road. God has a plan and a purpose and a future. While you may hurt at the moment, God's plans are not to harm you but to give you hope and a future. You may not have any big hurts in your life right now, but when they do come, make sure you've got God on your side working with you to help you.
No Pain, No Gain
"I'd say my life really runs smoothly. Sure, I've got a few small problems, but who doesn't? I figure the chances of something really bad happening to me aren't that great."
Do bad things ever happen to good people? Do you figure your life will go on pretty much problem free? Most people your age feel, Who gives a rip about suffering? I've got most of what I need now in life. Unless you've lost something you really love, it's difficult to imagin what real suffering feels like. Here's what the Bible says,
"If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name" ~1 Peter 4:15,16 (NIV)
Pain is a part of life. As a Christian, your pain and suffering go with the territory. If you've ever given up popularity because you think differently from your friends, or given up a joint, or cheap sex for a night, you know a little bit of what it means to suffer because you are a Christian. At the moment, you may have felt some pain, some restlessness. In a small way, it's suffering. If your dad or your brother died, though, that's a bigger kind of suffering, and how you handle your suffering tells the world something about you as a person. You can expect pain in your life. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but someday you will know the pain of losing something you love. It's at that moment that the Bible says Christians act differently. Yes, they cry, they feel anger, hurt, discouragement, like anyone else. But inside, there's a hope that says, Hey, this is not the end of the road. God has a plan and a purpose and a future. While you may hurt at the moment, God's plans are not to harm you but to give you hope and a future. You may not have any big hurts in your life right now, but when they do come, make sure you've got God on your side working with you to help you.