“Pain can break our hearts but improve our vision.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – February 1, 2022
My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:11-12
As much as I don’t like it, pain can be highly transformational. For example, when Saul was on the road to Damascus and God blinded him by placing scales over his eyes, Paul had a powerful conversion experience. I find it interesting that the Lord used a physical impairment to create a powerful spiritual transformation in Paul.
That’s how it can often be with us. Difficulties can break our hearts and improve not only our spiritual vision but also our emotional and relational vision too. Pain can cause us to look up to God for help and look inward for reevaluation. Without pain, there are times we would never grow, and we would stay stuck in our pride, prejudice, selfishness, lust, insecurity, or rebellion.
Even when the pain we experience is self-inflicted, God can use it to cause us to become more like Him. Unfortunately, sometimes there just isn’t any way around pain. It needs to happen for transformation to occur, especially when we need an attitude adjustment! Paul needed a big wake up call to change his life’s direction; sometimes we need big wake up calls too.
My father went home to heaven in 2005. When he and my mom had been married for 27 years, he experienced what I believe was a mid-life crisis. He was hurting, confused, and sought out relationships with women outside his marital covenant. During this time, he tried to justify his choice to leave my mom.
One day he said, “You know divorce is made in heaven, don’t you?” He clearly needed to have his vision corrected. God allowed my father to continue down his misinformed path, and it broke my dad’s heart. But (hallelujah!) his breaking increased his vision. He later had a genuine spiritual transformation. Several years after my parent’s divorce he said to me, “You know what causes divorce? Selfishness.”
God can use even self-inflicted pain to break our hearts but improve our vision.
Hebrews 12:11 says, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (ESV)
Like my father I made some poor relationship choices before I married. Some of them were borne out of confusion; some out of selfishness or pride, and some out of insecurity. The brokenness I experienced because of my sin has not been for naught. It has improved my relational vision and I am so grateful. Now, I don’t take love for granted. I have often praised God that the mistakes I made when I was young paved the way for a wonderful relationship with my husband now. Each day I am grateful for Clark and each day I praise God that He allowed my foolish choices to discipline me when I was a young woman, so I do not have to feel the pain of a destroyed marriage now.
Even though the cost is high, pain can be a great teacher. God’s plan is to never leave us where we are, stuck in sin or pain. It’s always to give us beauty for ashes (Isaiah 61:1-3). It’s always to improve our vision, bring healing, and make us more like Him.
“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid” (Proverbs 12:1).
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the pain I have experienced because of my sin. Thank you that pain is your merciful discipline so I can stay on your right path. I love you, Jesus. You are so, so good to me.
Application
How has God allowed your sin to discipline you so that you have turned to His way? Thank Him for keeping you safe and showing you the way.
Related Reading
Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 25:28; Proverbs 10:17
Worship Resource
Hillsong Worship: All Things New
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