suffering

It Hurts

Dr. Mike 2026 , , ,

 “Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things. So, remove sorrow from your heart and keep pain away from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.” Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 NASB

Everyone will experience hurt in their lifetime. Most hurts will heal. Some will not. All hurts though will leave an imprint in our life. In some ways we are the sum total of our hurts.

These hurts come from an endless source of darts thrown in our direction. Most often from an unlimited pile of human ignorance. Some hurts are the reflection of expectations gone wrong. Others are the damage left by people deliberately or unintentionally provoking you.

Whatever the source, the result is the same. It hurts. 

We may bring hurt upon ourselves by a sinful act. We may think we are doing good when the end result is harm to another.

We hurt when the grade needed from a class falls short and we lose out on a scholarship for college.

We hurt when the person we have a crush on tells us they are not interested.

We hurt when the bills are more than the money in the checking account.

We hurt from the outcome of an auto accident.

We hurt when someone close to us suffers from a tragedy.

We hurt when we wake up the next day with a hangover from yesterday’s party.

We hurt when our close friend reveals a hidden secret to others.

We hurt when our spouse tells us they do not love us any longer and wants to go their separate way.

We hurt when rejected from the job we enjoy.

We hurt when our love ones die.

We hurt when our bodies no longer quickly recover from the workout that day realizing age is catching up to us.

The issue is not the hurt. But how we respond to it. The hurt may last a lifetime. Or only a few minutes. But the fuller we grieve; the faster we forgive others and ourselves; the healthier we become with another learned lesson toward maturity in Christ.

God wants us to dream dreams and pursue them. He wants us to chase the desires of our heart. But HE also wants us to do so within the boundaries of HIS character. Being hurt is the price of becoming more like Christ.

An athlete chooses temporary pain to grow their muscles. They push themselves until it hurts. Then they back away. They want to be the best they can be. So, hurt is part of their process.

As Christ-followers, we likewise learn to integrate faith into every area of our life. That includes our dreams and desires. We thus pursue our goals partnering with Jesus. We ask HIM to be involved in our daily walk. We offer our dreams to HIM. We ask and seek out HIS ways in the process. But we are careful our dreams are always secondary to our relationship with HIM.

Yes, in the Christian journey many darts of hurt will come our way. The pain will be real. It will hurt. But as we lean on Jesus, HE will walk with us in the pain. HE will help heal the hurt or carry us through the pain. We will learn from the situation. We will mature in the process. We will learn to trust HIM more. And always, you can be assured, HE will continue to root for you, and help you, even while it hurts.   

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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Suffering. Endurance. Character. Hope.

Dr. Mike 2025 , , , 
Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:2-5

Why is suffering a problem for many people who blame God for its existence? The question arose again this week at our weekly small group meeting. The man has a friend who is a “good person.” But now he is going through medical challenges. This is causing hardship and pain within the family. Why does God allow it he asks.

Some of us have the illusion that suffering is the exception. When in reality, it is the norm. Being free from suffering is the exception.

Suffering is the event that God uses to bring about his spiritual masterpiece in you and I. No one wants to suffer. But a broken world with broken people produces a broken society. In due time, we all will suffer pain.

It may be physical, emotional, relational, or financial. It may cause us to lose our freedom, our dreams, and our well-being. Yes, even good people will suffer. Ask Jesus.

A perfect, sinless man who confronted the masses and political machines of his day. His contribution to society led him to a most torturous death. Yes, even HE could not escape the human clothe of suffering.

Suffering is part of the human condition. One can either wallow in it or accept it. One either moves on or allow its teeth to mull you into oblivion. Yet as the apostle Paul writes, Christ-followers rejoice in their suffering. For believers know God’s Spirit lives in them. HE is doing a work through the pain that will produce a spiritual masterpiece. For suffering produces endurance to lean more and more on Christ. As we lean on HIM, HIS Spirit is remaking our inner heart after HIS image. As we look at the fruit, our hope grows more and more on our relationship with HIM. We see HIS involvement in our life.

Yes, we may not like the process. It hurts. It produces hardships. Yet we have learned to trust HIM. Our focus in on eternity. Our desire is to yield ourselves into HIS arms. To allow HIS Spirit to produce the character needed to serve HIM and others in HIS Kingdom forever.

Yes, suffering produces endurance, character, and hope with the Spirit that lives in us. The sad truth though, without the Spirit, suffering is a waste of energy and resources. A painful trip without meaning and purpose. Thus, lean on Jesus and allow HIS Spirit free reign in shaping you for HIS purpose and plans. 

It is not the story I planned in my youth, but it is the narrative I have chosen to follow. This is HIS story and HE has allowed us to participate with HIM through it. It includes suffering from poor decisions on my part. It involves suffering from the acts and decisions of others. It is the narrative that confronts us on a daily basis. How we respond and follow through is the story-line we write. Through the painful process our heart and character will be shaped. Hopefully, as we trust our Maker, yield to the Spirit’s influence, the final image we reflect will honor HIM.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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Life Is Hard

Dr. Mike 2024 , , , ,

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.   Romans 12:12

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…through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.   Acts 14:22

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I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”   John 16:33

Why are we shocked when distress times arise? When we are caught in a web of suffering? When the affliction seems so overbearing? Yes, life is hard.

I recall having a heated discussion with my mother around my mid-thirties over the way she raised me. Don’t get me wrong, I had a very good upbringing. Educated in private schools. Raised with character traits which later produced future successes. Foundational values which gave me a head start in life.

But yet, I was naïve about the world around me. I thought life was a formula. Work hard and you will succeed. But as you enter the world, you realize its chaotic with unforgiving ways to swallow up new victims. It’s an ever-changing jungle. It can be brutal. Survival is job one. Trust is hard to find. Truth is a misnomer. Only results matter. Everything else is noise. You are the target of someone else’s fear or greed. There are days you feel like you are being squeezed by a large finger.

Failure is inevitable. If one doesn’t learn how to turn lemons into lemonade, one becomes dinner for a large pig. The large hogs chew up their little piggies. There is no mercy in the jungle of life. If one enters the marketplace without a defense armor, one is dismantled and thrown away. No pity for the weak.

Yes, life is hard. But Jesus gives us the equipment not only to survive in the jungle of life, but to thrive.

No, you will still face strong tribulations. You will still be persecuted. You will still have emotional roller coaster rides. But you will find faith and hope through the process. For your foundation is built on the rock of Jesus. You know HE has your behind. HE also walks along with you through the ordeal. In fact, HE has already gone before you so you know following HIM will lead you through a better path.

You know each trial allows you to invest more time with HIM. To watch HIM battle for you through the process. To learn more about HIS ways. And as you come out on the other end, you look back and notice the change in your character. You are more patient. Your trust in HIM grows. Your assurance of the relationship with HIM becomes stronger. You soon learn that the jungle of life is designed to bring you closer to HIM. To allow HIS Kingdom ways to become more implanted into your Being.

As much as you hated the pain and thrashing you went through, you are thankful. You realize it was probably the most merciful way for you to develop the willpower pattern after HIM. You soon acknowledge your ordeal only made you stronger in HIM. Though you don’t ever want to go through that trial again, you are thankful you did it with HIM.

Yes, life is hard. Deliberately hard for our sake and for the sake of others. How else can a loving God best prepare HIS children for the eternal role HE has for them in HIS Kingdom?

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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