Winning over Pain

Text: Psa. 147:2-7
MORE LESSON: Isa. 38:4-6

It is possible that you have been wounded in your heart and mind. Those you trusted with all your heart may have let you down. Has your dignity been shattered and you feel cheated? You endured the pains, but the memory lingers on you, and many times you have asked the question, “But why me?” Y our past frightens you, and the future looks dreadful. Yes, you have sobbed, you have cried, you have bitten your finger and sucked your thumb as pain wrenched your soul. Oh, the loss, the abuse, the failure, the disappointment, the unexpected, the divorce, the molestation and frustration! In spite of all these, there is hope for you; God is working on your night season. He can turn your break down into break through He can turn your mourning into dancing and you can win over that pain.
Are you going through a painful experience right now?

These are the things you should pay careful attention to: (1) Refuse to live like a victim. Make up your mind to stop looking for sympathy and start looking for solution. Worry, weeping, and depression concede victory to the enemy. Blaming others will only make you bitter and wallowing in self pity can only paralyze you and alienate others. (2) No matter what happens, always rejoice (1 Thess. 5:18). Paul was in one of Europe's worst prisons when he wrote Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again rejoice: Phil. 4:4.
No matter what you are passing through in your life, show God that you trust Him by cheering up. It worked for Hannah (1 Samuel 1:18) and David (2 Samuel 12:16-23). (3) Cultivate the heart of praise worship. Don't ever hang up your harps (Psalm 137:1-4).

Engage in praising God. Praise gets your eyes off the pain and unto the problem solver. The strength you need to win over your pain and keep moving forward can only be cultivated in a climate of continual praise worship and thanksgiving to God. Paul and Silas prevailed over their painful season through praise worship (Acts 16:25-26). (4) Stand firm in faith and on the word of God. Standing on your feelings, circumstances and the opinion of others will only prolong your painful season. Listen to and repeat to yourself what God says about you and the pains you are passing through; instead of rehearsing past experiences, speak faith. (5) Pray through. In a painful, hopeless situation where everything seems to be failing, turn your face towards heaven in prayers like Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:4-5). (6) Learn to encourage yourself in the Lord. After David and his men wept and they had no more strength to weep, the Bible says, David encouraged himself in the Lord his God (1 Samuel 30:1-6).

Beloved, I see your night of weeping turned to morning of celebrations. I see God giving you beauty for ashes.

Prayer/Action
1. Give thanks to God for all the pains and testimonies you have ever experience in life.
2. Ask the Lord to heal you and other people you know that are passing through one pain or the other.
3. Pray that the Lord will heal the wounds of people who are victims of insurgency like  Boko Haram in  Nigeria and other part of world.

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