Pain Is Part of the Process to Spiritual Maturity
By Rick Warren
“After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who calls you to share his eternal glory in union with Christ, will himself perfect you and give you firmness, strength, and a sure foundation.” 1 Peter 5:10 (GNT)
God wants to use everything, even the bad things in your life, to bring about good.
To thrive rather than just survive in a hostile culture, you need to see how God can turn your trials into triumphs. You need to see how God is using the things that shake you to make you unshakable.
The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:10, “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who calls you to share his eternal glory in union with Christ, will himself perfect you and give you firmness, strength, and a sure foundation” (GNT).
Pain is the high cost of growth. We want to know God, but maturity doesn’t happen automatically. It doesn’t happen overnight. And it doesn’t happen only in the good times. We want the product without the process, but there is no path to spiritual maturity without some pain.
But the good thing is, the very things that discourage you are the things God uses to develop you. The pain is part of the process.
When you understand this, you become unshakeable in life, like Daniel became after experiencing some major trials.
Romans 5:3-5 says, “We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character, and character produces hope. And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts” (NCV).
Growth is often faster and deeper during our darkest days. Many people have shared with me how they grew more through separations, unemployment, illness, tragedy, and loss than they ever would have if life had been easy.
Why? Because God isn't interested in making life easy on earth. He’s interested in growing your character, because character is the only thing you’re taking to heaven. You’re in school right now, and God says there are eternal rewards coming. He’s going to perfect you.
Until then, you can hope in God’s promise to work in you and give you the strength and grace you need to walk through every trial. You can trust in a “hope that never disappoints,” knowing that God can use even the bad things in life to refine, direct, correct, and perfect you.
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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