Tag: pain

The Prodigal’s Pain

The Prodigal’s Pain

Isaiah 66:9

“Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?” Says the Lord; “shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?” Says your God.

This verse is powerful, God is saying why would I cause pain and not let something good come out of it. Why would I waste a trial in a persons life? why would I let the test not be a testimony? Why would I let the very pain that my child is experiencing not have any good come from it?

I have been brought to this verse many times in the past. With the passing of a loved one, a broken relationship, we’ve all experienced pain. And there was always a purpose behind it.

You see, “…He has put eternity into man’s heart…” – Ecclesiastes 3:11. God put in our heart, eternity. There’s nothing that this World offers that replaces, fills, permeates the desire that our hearts long for — the Creator, God. Your friend or family member who has once tasted and seen and felt the love of God at one time who is now living life to the fullest, so they think. In the World. They feel the pain, and so do we. But we have to remember that there is a purpose with the pain.

Much like the Prodigal in Luke 15 who packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land. He spent all that he had carelessly, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. “When he finally came to his senses” the pain had finally caught up with him and he said to himself “At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!” So he returned home to his father.”

But today, as I was praying for a family member who have strayed away, who once knew Him, the Lord showed me an analogy of Isaiah 66:9 of the person who I was praying for.

A pregnancy is nine months, nine long months of having discomfort, sick, carrying extra weight that they have to carry until the time of the birth. Much like the Prodigal, they too are experiencing pain, discomfort, the shame and guilt. But remember that God has to cause the pain, the discomfort to lead them back to Him. His love is relentless, He is always pursuing the hearts of those who have known Him and have not yet known Him. It’s His kindness that leads us to repentance. It’s all part of His plan.

If you know someone who is a prodigal, don’t stop praying, don’t give up. They are of the Lord’s, He sees them where they are, even if they have forgotten Him, He has not. There is purpose in the pain, your prodigal is coming home!

STAY IN THE FIGHT

Who and what are you leaning into? That is the question.

26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” – Genesis 32:26

Maybe at times we have wrestled with God about a certain situation. We think of all the why’s. Why hasn’t He fulfilled that promise in my life, why hasn’t He performed this miracle that He said He would do? Our mind could go in a thousand directions off of just one why. But we are told to not lean on our own understanding. So who and what are you leaning on?

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When we experience the pain from those “why’s” we have two options.

  • Lean into God
  • Lean on self

It took me years, I mean years to learn not to lean, to listen to others, to figure out my understanding of the issue. But to “Be Still and know that I am God” resting in Him will divert your own solution to the issue.

Questions to ask yourself:

  • Are you leaning on His guidance? The direction of the Holy Spirit?
  • Or are we leaning on ourselves to figure the why’s of life out?

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” – James 1:2-4

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  • There’s value in struggles
  • There’s value in trials 
  • There’s value in temptations 

Jacob didn’t understand in that moment but he still leaned into Him…

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Struggle, trial, sickness, temptation,) In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”- Proverbs 3:5

…And whenever God is ready there will be a blessing in the release. 

James 1:12 blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life.


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