“Please tell me your location and who you are. Please tell me: Who are you, and when do you act? Please describe what you do and how you go about it “, a frustrated man screamed and cried out as he lamented the pains of his afflictions, tribulations, and sufferings. He had a deep conviction that he was experiencing those things in an apparent and unfair manner because he lacked the spiritual principles, graces, and power of favor to do him good. However, his neighbor, who was viewed as corrupt and unattractive in both behavior and character, and yet hard working and with sound mind, was being showered with material blessings.
So, I sought to know: Can favor be justified to someone even through his or her pains? (Gen 4:4, Gen 6:8, Gen 39:21, Prov 12:2, Prov 18:22, Luke 2:51–52, Amos 5:15, etc.). As a starting point for this write-up, let’s look at Romans 8:28–30 in the NKJV “And we are aware that everything happens for the benefit of those who love God and those who have been called according to His purpose. Whoever He predestined to conform to the likeness of His Son in order for Him to be the firstborn among many brothers, is the one whom He foreknew and also predestined. Additionally, in addition to calling those He predestined, justifying those He called, and glorifying those He justified”, to start with, we can draw some conclusions and ponder some general issues such as:
1. How does Grace turn into the Unmerited Favour?
2. How does this Unmerited Favor, then relate to other entities, things and individuals to result in their comfort, honour and glory?
So, I read more and researched by the grace of God, and I found out that the importance of pain for excellent performance, even in the deep understandings of human wisdom, and additionally in dealing with matters of people, organisations, and even power and authorities in spiritual warfare has many relevancy. And that, pain has all kinds of characteristics of its own design, state and storyline, often summed up as – The Pain History.
And, by one’s indepth knowledge of science, we also know that pain comes in various forms and types such as acute, chronic, nociceptive, neuropathic and even functional pain. However, the truth is, biomedically, medically and/or pharmaceutically, pain can be diagnosed, managed and even clinically treated within all the health parameters, protocols and instructions in their mental, educational, social, social, emotional, physical and religious realms of life.
Certainly all these are good and real. But one thing for sure is that every Pain is dynamic, and can offer and/or take a lot more from a person, a people and even a nation than just what is taken away from their spirit, anointing, grace, character, origin, spirituality, science, carnality, feelings, sources, causes, agents, strongholds, challenges, benefits, hardships, behavior, services, offerings, attributes, natures and joys, as well as its peace and tranquility, and so forth. Nonetheless, for each person, pain has its specially and specifically defined, and apportioned purpose.
Sometimes, so obedient and great, effective and mighty purpose about its occurrence, induction, manifestations and happenings, so why do you, or must you waste your pain? One of my friends has this advice for us all: “At some stage in your life, people will behave unjustly towards you. Do not fret and get all upset. The truth will always come out eventually if you can wait patiently and endure within its time: this should give you much comfort. Know that the Almighty God is your best witness in all things. Keep your heart at peace no matter what is going on with you or with yours”
So, do not waste your pain especially when it really avails the resources, strength, courage, boldness and graces for the much-needed creativity, audacity and innovation, and even by its acquisition of the management skills for developing people’s and families peace, glory, honour, grace, strength, wisdom, humility, faith,hope and love, tolerance, endurance, fortitude, patience and so on.
Personally, it was through my self-affliction pains from mistakes, errors and problems as well my divinely orchestrated opportunities for pain, that I learnt that if you are not really humble at heart, you can not depend on faith and èven pray when the challenges of life’s matters come upon a soul and its life’s sovereignty, security, success, ambitions, business, ministry, marriage, finance, education, training, development and improvement.
But, I learned something, and I learnt that, with our Heavenly Father’s ultimate sacrifice at the Cross at Calvary through our Lord Jesus Christ, divine redemption and salvation are granted to those who seek Jehovah God, and even those whom he loves, calls and favours (John 3 vs 16) based on “The Reason for The Purpose”.
Notably, there are many examples of pain, in their diverse realms and episodes, inasmuch as there are certain questions that must be asked if you want to go far in life’s ambition, business and cares with its comfort, honour and blessings of God’s glory, but you must validate favours – the favour of God and the favour of Man, spiritually.
In this world, among other things, to understand the course of life, the beauty of creations and the glories of the earthly and heavenly beings, things and atmospheres, humans also live, relate, associate, interact and even communicate with one another, and with their families, friends, colleagues, neighbours, partners, helpers, acquaintances, colleagues and relatives and in-law to make merry, to celebrate, and the like, as welll as to console and empathise.
And surely, we are supposed to learn more as we progress daily in our lives, families, relationships, marriages, ministries, businesses, careers, professions and works. And in many cases and instances of misunderstanding, disagreements and conflicts, every person can say, at the end of a matter, that in one way or the other, he or she has encountered and experienced pain before..
But, with me, and my family’s life, love and lights experiences, we have learnt that though there are two opposing sides to pain – the good side and the bad side, there are usually three (3) main lessons every person will basically learn about pain itself. We also learn it, that:
1. Without suffering, we cannot understand comfort and glory (Rom 8 vs 18, Ezekiel 39 vs 21-22)
2. Without war, we cannot understand conquest, victory and peace (Judges 3 vs 30,
3. Without hatred, we cannot understand love (1 Corinthians 13 vs 4-7).
Ironically, many religious people hold the view that when God is with a person, a believer and/or his worshipper (evidenced in that person’s virtues, values and victories of life), the issues of life; be it of trouble and its pains must not come their way at all. And, this idea is often held high and propagated by many young, less endowed and developed in life’s experience, knowledge and wisdom, as well as those persons of inexperienced orthodox, as well as charismatic and/or apostolic enlightenment, who have little understanding of Scriptures, doctrine and the power of the Holy Ghost, to enable them to hold to be fortified to Christ-like principles, ethics and values, and fundamentally to the theology and divinity of Godly principles, processes and systems.
And, though these may not be firmed up, and pproperly situated in a Christian’s life: in his or her love, patience, and endurance and time management, during the process of time and chance, I learnt that yet by the grace of God, divine grace and mercy of God can still speak for such persons on their redemption via the justice of the blood of the lamb of God to counter or cancel the requirements, obligations and demands in the place of judgement.
Interestingly, this idea has misled many of such people into adopting various faith styles, types and ideologies, even to the point where all kind of purportedly prophetic guidance, deeds, and acts interfere pointlessly with clear thinking and the logical agility of the human intellect as well as sound mind. Nevertheless, some of the instructions and directions of divinity, prophetic graces and anointings will not make sense to a person who has not developed his or her soul and spirit, in the Spirit and Knowledge of God.
Let me begin my monologue on the importance of pain in every person’s life, by telling you a story about a young man who was experiencing excruciating mental distress about a complex situation, one that had recently been resolved for me in a wise and purposeful manner by the grace of God, and thus sought my counsel.
I asked him some questions, to start off our conversation. I observed that he was not well understood by many but his knowledge and understanding to certain things was a recipe for trouble which were causing him pain. His answer to my question: How can you appreciate comfort if you do not experience pain?, was poorly and irrelevantly respeonded to.
And, to an extent, he was unable to define the exact definitions of the belief that ‘God is with me” exclude pain. He was incompetent in theoretical knowledge, and lacked alacrity. To help him, I shared a personal story with him. This story goes like this: One day, when I ate with this person at our local chop bar, he freely ate as much as he wanted. However, when we met gain years later, I took him to ine of the push restaurants in the city.
There, he was unable to act appropriately or fetch the food in a decent and orderly manner In line with courtesies and etiquettes for continental dining. He piled the food, heavily and anyhow, on his plate to our embarrassment and attention. I restropected into our background; our eating habits then, I remembered how he behaved thus way. Eventually, I understood his actions and behaviors when I understood the importance of pain. The things I used to take for granted, was now someone’s liability..
I was educated early enough to realize the role, importance, and value of pain, and how it is important that, rising to any moment with faith, hope, and love as well as divine grace, favor, wisdom, and stature via the use of God’s supply, protection, and preservation. By God’s grace, I came to understand the function, significance, and worth of suffering, as well as the pain’s relatives such as losses, troubles, complex issues, challenges, and problems.
And in all we say and do, we must pray for the Heavenly strength, wisdom and power of people’s faith, hope and love, and as facilitated by divine enablement and entitlements, in order for any redeemed person to do it appropriately and accurately, every must must experience some level of pain And, in order to have the patience, character, and management of pain, so as to lead and exercise dominion, every one must be tested by the the two sides of pain so that we can attract and/or develop the needed faith, wisdom, and power as well as divine favor and grace for flawless living.
But, remember that causes of pain do have their intended effects just as much as the pain itself do come with their underlying instigations and maneuvers. Nonetheless, pain in its raw state can actually prepare, shape and transform any person for the better or for the worse on his or her spirit, body and soul.
But, for its joys and benefit, if you must understand pain, not just on the value of its negativities, you must also learn much from its roles, values, principles, benefits and importance to struggle free and significant living.
There are fights people fight, sometimes with great pain to polish their TALENTS, GIFTS, and CALLING as they struggle to identify and grow their purposes, anointing, dimensions, core principles, and importance. A few days ago, I had an IT experience in a tech store; a customer used one of the Bluetooth speakers to loudly play music from, I assume, a phone. Me and the shop employee were both astonished by it.
I tried to figure out how this could happen. And the response I received was simply this: This Bluetooth speaker is on Open Access. Such are the sacrifices of pain on the Talent, Gifts, and Callings of people, especially when Grace is extended to that person or those people.
But in order to avoid abusing the open access feature of God’s grace, there are some things that must be grasped. On Google, it says “Gift can be overlooked but cannot be kept from others. While aptitude for a skill is a talent “.
Indeed, there are many purposes for the various gifts and callings that people have, including those that lead to ministry, marriage, and monetary gain. What, for example, is the stated objective of your marriage? To care for orphans and widows in their sorrow and to protect oneself from being contaminated by the world is the only form of religion that God our Father accepts as being perfect and pure (James 1:27).
Therefore, every believer must bring Spiritual Orphans into the covering of the Grace of God with Godly thoughts integrated with their actions in order to remove their pain, feed the poor, and do more in order to live straight and pain-free, even within the righteousness of God (Hosea 14 vs 3b). In order to function at the highest level both spiritually and physically, it is also crucial to follow heavenly guidance regarding one’s thoughts and deeds. How, however, do you contend with, grow from, and rule the following:
1. Mindsets
2. Strategies
3. Planning, Fasting and Praying4. Knowledge and Wisdom 5. Sincerity, Patience and Hard work 6. Unity and Clarity of Purpose7. Dealing with Concepts, Forces and Beings (Spirits) 8. Forecast and Focus 7. Studying more, Managing Relationships and Keeping Targets and Paying attention to the details to the contributions and benefits of pain?