Through Pain, We Grow
Have you ever heard the quote “pain and suffering are the greatest teachers?” If you’ve ever gone through a season of suffering, especially one that has lasted for an extended period of time, you’ll be able to easily relate to this idea. If anyone knows about suffering, it is Jesus. Just like it says in Hebrews 5:8, “Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.” (NLT) Thankfully, we will never have to experience what Jesus did because of what He took on for us. For some, this can be a difficult concept to understand, especially in today’s climate where the majority of what we do as people is try to figure out how to maximize our comfort.
About four years ago, I was the person trying to figure out how to maximize my comfort. I was trying to do everything I could to serve me. The journey that led me to where I am today is something that I have a hard time not sharing because my testimony, to me, is exciting. It highlights how much God shows us grace. It also highlights His power and His willingness to pursue us and offer us the best life we can imagine.
In 2019, my wife and I, wanting to stay together, decided to get married first then attend college and work part-time. I was in college pursuing film studies, something I absolutely loved; and shortly after that, we found out she was pregnant. Oops. Our lives were flipped. Everything I wanted to do had to suddenly stop. I thought I had finally found that one thing that made me happy, something I could call my “passion,” but this changed everything.
To keep a four-year-long story short, I had to find a job. I didn't have many connections, nor did my family own a company that I could easily slip into. I had to work hard, boring jobs. They were physically and especially mentally debilitating, the kind of jobs that sucked the joy right out of you. I experienced suffering, sadness, and depression like I thought I never would, but experience is often the best teacher.
JOURNAL: If there is an area in your life that you are experiencing suffering, know that it is not pointless. What the enemy means for evil, God will transform for good. Write down an area of your life in which you experience suffering. Know that your suffering will be used to teach and to help.
Everything changed when I submitted to God. For me, spiritually and practically. I put less focus on my work. I had been so concerned with what I did for a living, and I wanted to learn to focus more on how I could serve, things I could do outside of work. My relationship with God strengthened, my family and I became more involved in church, and I started serving in the kids ministry. Every issue I had, I gave to God. A year later, I accepted a job offer to join the Opendoor team full-time, which will forever go down as a pivotal moment in my life. I will forever be grateful for this life that God has blessed me with, and I hope He never stops teaching me.
PRAYER: God, help me remember that You are with me when I suffer. Remind me to lean on You in hard times. Thank You for the opportunity to share with others so that my situation can help others.
About four years ago, I was the person trying to figure out how to maximize my comfort. I was trying to do everything I could to serve me. The journey that led me to where I am today is something that I have a hard time not sharing because my testimony, to me, is exciting. It highlights how much God shows us grace. It also highlights His power and His willingness to pursue us and offer us the best life we can imagine.
In 2019, my wife and I, wanting to stay together, decided to get married first then attend college and work part-time. I was in college pursuing film studies, something I absolutely loved; and shortly after that, we found out she was pregnant. Oops. Our lives were flipped. Everything I wanted to do had to suddenly stop. I thought I had finally found that one thing that made me happy, something I could call my “passion,” but this changed everything.
To keep a four-year-long story short, I had to find a job. I didn't have many connections, nor did my family own a company that I could easily slip into. I had to work hard, boring jobs. They were physically and especially mentally debilitating, the kind of jobs that sucked the joy right out of you. I experienced suffering, sadness, and depression like I thought I never would, but experience is often the best teacher.
JOURNAL: If there is an area in your life that you are experiencing suffering, know that it is not pointless. What the enemy means for evil, God will transform for good. Write down an area of your life in which you experience suffering. Know that your suffering will be used to teach and to help.
Everything changed when I submitted to God. For me, spiritually and practically. I put less focus on my work. I had been so concerned with what I did for a living, and I wanted to learn to focus more on how I could serve, things I could do outside of work. My relationship with God strengthened, my family and I became more involved in church, and I started serving in the kids ministry. Every issue I had, I gave to God. A year later, I accepted a job offer to join the Opendoor team full-time, which will forever go down as a pivotal moment in my life. I will forever be grateful for this life that God has blessed me with, and I hope He never stops teaching me.
PRAYER: God, help me remember that You are with me when I suffer. Remind me to lean on You in hard times. Thank You for the opportunity to share with others so that my situation can help others.
No Comments