A woman in a Bible study I was leading once declared that the nearly fatal disease she’d been fighting was the best thing that had ever happened to her. What she meant was that her pain and fear had led her to the true source of healing and peace. As a result of her diagnosis, God had transformed her life into something that was not only beautiful, but also useful to God.
The danger of pain and suffering is that it can sometimes lead us into despair. Instead of allowing God to transform our pain, as Richard Rohr says, “we most assuredly transmit it – usually to those closest to us: our family, our neighbors, our co-workers, and, invariably, the most vulnerable, our children.”
Years ago, when I was going through a difficult time of my own, a pastor friend reminded me of Romans 8:28, that “all things work together for good for those who love God.” He was right! The greatest blessings often come as a result of our most difficult times and the greatest healers are often the ones who have suffered the most.
Have you trusted God to transform your pain? The Good News is that it’s not too late