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Does God Care About Pain?

Romans 8:18-28 TNIV 

God affirms how real pain is

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ROMANS 8:18-22 TNIV

God is not calling me to:

God reveals that my pain won’t last forever

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. ROMANS 8:23-25 TNIV

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 CORINTHIANS 4:18 NLT

God reveals his power in the midst of my pain 

In the same way, 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. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. ROMANS 8:26-27 TNIV

The Spirit of God knows:

God reveals that pain has a purpose

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ROMANS 8:28 TNIV 

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. ROMANS 8:20-21 TNIV

My Notes

Personal Reflection Guide

Find a place where you can focus your attention on God. Take a few moments to clear your mind of distractions and to center your thoughts. When you are ready, begin a conversation with God. Talk to him about the pain you have in your life right now.  Perhaps it is a pain that you've held onto for years that you are trying to minimize.  Maybe it’s a pain that is as fresh as this morning that you are trying to ignore, hoping it will go away. Allow yourself to feel the pain and bring it to God. Ask him to reveal its purposes. Recall that God promises your pain will not last forever and that he will be with you through every moment it lasts. Don’t allow the temporary pain to take your eyes off of the eternal joy that God has for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to enable you to pray as you should. As you process the pain, plan to talk to a trusted Christian friend or counselor about it this week.

Discussion Questions

  1. What have you been learning about yourself, God or others in your personal Bible reading time? What stood out to you this week?    
  2. Read Romans 8:18-22. What thoughts and feelings do you experience when you realize that God sees and acknowledges your pain and suffering as real?
  3. If we know God isn’t calling us to minimize or ignore the painful parts of our story,   why do you think we tend to do it?
  4. Continue reading Romans 8:23-25. What is a specific circumstance where you have allowed your temporary pain to blind you to the future eternal joy of heaven? What could you have done differently to keep your hope in heaven, and not be blinded by your pain?
  5. Continue reading Romans 8:26-27. As you think through the pain you are going through right now, in what specific areas do you need the Holy Spirit to help you?
  6. Continue reading Romans 8:28. As you look back over your life, recall a pain you  experienced that served a useful purpose. In what ways does this memory give you hope as you endure the pain you are going through now?