PAINFUL LEARNING

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Aristotlesaid: "We cannot learn without pain"

Well GOD sat me down in the middle of an “all day” seminar yesterday. I was getting pulled into classroom after classroom only to find one problem after another, each room more challenging than the last; each problem more painful. By the time I had pulled the covers back to my bed last night my head was spinning and hurting.

“What should I do about this?”

“Why did he choose that?”

“I can’t believe the nerve of them.”

“Really?”

“Don’t they know that will kill them?”

“Didn’t we just complete a 12 week treatment?”

“She popped positive for what?”

“He tried that again?”

“Why lie to me? I can’t help when they lie to me.”

“How can I help if they do that?”

“Doesn’t someone realize that I can’t do that?”

“Am I losing it?”

“GOD I quit!”

Now I said a few DISPATCH’S ago, I don’t insert these little quotes for show or flash. These are real thoughts and sighs uttered during yesterday’s pressure cooker of a day.

Thankfully GOD understands them.

Romans 8:26

…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

Worded groans too!

And while yesterday was borderline overwhelming, I know and am grateful that GOD not only wants me to learn from days like yesterday, but He has promised to help me with days like yesterday.

And He did. So while the questions and frustrations were pouring out of my mouth, GOD quickly poured HIS WORD back in to help.

Psalm 46:10

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

Proverbs 3:5

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own.

Psalm 55:22

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you…

I am glad He did. I truly was coming unglued. But GOD’s WORD held me together! He did just what He said He would do when I let Him HAVE ALL of it; when I released it!

Philippians 4

…let God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Christ did and I slept just fine. Even woke up ready for today’s class.

Maybe you had a day like mine (or maybe a week or month like mine). Let’s LEARN from the pain. Let’s see past the circumstances and the drama and seek GOD instead.

I believe for me HE is teaching me to remember that I am NOT HIM and that I have to TRUST HIM even more as this ministry continues its exponential growth; even more when the days are doused in drama.

He may have a different lesson for you.

The bottom line is to remember that in spite of how painful things may seem at the moment, there is always a lesson and GOD’s WORD has the answer to the test! We must have faith! Just look!

1 Peter 1:6-7

…even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine.

Romans 8:28

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Ready for class? Remeber no pain-no gain!

Be blessed this weekend! Trust GOD.

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney