Sing His Praise in the Pain!

Many years ago, I read the anonymous observation that pain and suffering are inevitable, but misery is optional. The Bible strongly reflects a similar kind of message. James, our ancient and Holy Spirit inspired brother in the Christian faith, wrote at James 1:2-3: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” The apostle Peter wrote words that bear out what happens to us and around us is not as important as what goes on in us in response to life’s pain. He wrote these words to suffering Christians: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials.” Peter has just reminded them they had been “begotten again to a living hope … to an inheritance and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-6). These Bible passages and many others support the idea that while pain and suffering are inevitable, misery is optional!

 

Misery is the default setting for many people when pain crashes into their lives. So, what do you do when a storm blows in as you sail life’s unpredictable sea? Bell Calloway, an African American historian in Omaha, Nebraska, once said, “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” The apostle Paul calls for us to adjust our sails with words like these: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice … giving thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4 * 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV). Those all’s and always’s in the Bible always bother me! I’d much rather they said, “Rejoice in the Lord if you can or rejoice if life is good.” Didn’t Paul ever have “a bad day?” Bible students know much of Paul’s life was spent in miserable circumstances after he came to Christ. He was constantly in physically miserable circumstances. It was from prison he directed the Philippian Christians to rejoice in the Lord always as cited above. Acts 16:24ff finds Paul and co-missionary Silas in a prison in Philippi a number of years before Paul wrote the words of Philippians 4:4, but he’s practicing what he preached! They are in great physical pain. As a result of preaching Christ and doing good in His name, they had been libeled, falsely accused of breaking the law, unjustly beaten, thrown into prison, and their feet fastened in stocks. Pain was pouring down on their preaching parade. They are suffering, and they can’t get out (but eventually did due to God’s intervention!). They couldn’t control their physical position. What they could control and did control was their disposition! They refused to give in to miserable circumstances. In a prison cell, they adjusted their sails and kept prison from getting in them. Acts 16:25 says that at midnight (the darkest and deepest part of the night) “Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.” Prisoners were listening. More importantly, God was too. Shortly after God delivered them by means of an earthquake (!!), the jailor who guarded them relieved their pain, asked how them to be saved, was taught the Gospel, and he and all his family were baptized into Christ! And it all began with two suffering Christians who chose to sing in their pain. Remember — suffering is inevitable, but misery is optional. When suffering, sing God’s praise—not for your pain, but in your pain.

 

  by: Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN