Don’t Waste the Hard Stuff

“Even when you have been hurt, you may be uniquely positioned to bring healing to those around you who are in similar circumstances. When you are hurting, you can still heal others, even as you yourself are healing.”

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“When Jesus heard what had happened, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed Him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick.”

Matthew 14:13-14

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In Matthew 14, the evil King Herod orders that John the Baptist be killed as a way to appease his dinner guests. It is a ruthless and reckless action that takes the life of an innocent man in a senseless, brutal way.

When Jesus heard the news that John the Baptist was beheaded, He left to go to a remote area to be alone. However, the crowds followed Him. When Jesus saw them, He had compassion on them and healed their sick.

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Help, Even When You Are Hurt

There will be times when you encounter devastating news and are overcome by grief. Naturally, you may just need to get away and have some time by yourself to process the emotions. You should take as much time as you need. But be prepared to help others in the future. There will be people in similar circumstances who will be looking to you for advice, guidance, or encouragement. They may be watching and learning from your example. They are lost in their pain also and they may be looking for someone who can understand their situation to come alongside them.

Jesus received devastating news, yet still had compassion for the hurting people around Him and healed them. I think part of the reason He could continue on with good work, despite the bad news, is that He knew there was more to the story. Jesus could see the big picture. He knew what was to come. This was not the final end for John the Baptist, but only the end of his time on Earth. John would have eternal life in glory with the Father! That knowledge helps me immensely when dealing with loss.

Christians know that those who have put their trust in Jesus will live forever in Heaven.

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What the Enemy Means for Evil, God Uses for Good

Joseph endured a series of trials, depicted in the book of Genesis. He was the favorite son of Jacob, which caused a lot of envy and angst among his eleven brothers.

He faced betrayal by his jealous brothers who plot to get rid of him by selling him into slavery (Genesis 37:18-28). This led him to serve in Egypt where he encountered false accusations of misconduct from his master’s wife, resulting in imprisonment (Genesis 39:7-20). Despite these adversities, Joseph remained faithful to his beliefs.

A run of crazy dreams among his fellow prisoners, and Pharaoh himself, led to Joseph interpreting dreams in prison (Genesis 40:1-23), which eventually led to his release and rise to power as a trusted advisor to Pharaoh, King of Egypt (Genesis 41:1-57).

Through these trials, Joseph demonstrated resilience, forgiveness, and unwavering faith in God. Ultimately, he reconciled with his brothers and saved his entire family during a severe famine (Genesis 42-45), showcasing the theme of redemption and the providence of God in his life.

If he had not gone through the horrible oppression that he did, Joseph would not have been so perfectly positioned to save his family, and nation, from certain starvation.

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Down, But Not Out

You may be down, but you are not out. I am not trying to make light of your situation, or say your pain is not valid. I know you have been hurt, and you have every right to analyze and process. However, you may also be in a position to bring healing as well.

Joseph could have easily given up, cursed God for abandoning him, and succumbed to his ill fate. But he did not let his situation get the best of him. He continued to trust in God’s saving grace. Joseph remained faithful to God, and God remained faithful to Joseph. He was in great turmoil, no doubt. But God was using him to showcase a magnificent redemption story.

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Don’t Waste Your Pain

So, don’t waste your pain. God takes what the enemy means for evil and He turns it to good (Genesis 50:20). He did it for Joseph in the Old Testament, and He can do it for you in the 21st Century.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Genesis 50:20

With God, no experience, no matter how devastating, is wasted. Even when you have been hurt, you may be uniquely positioned to bring healing to others who are in similar circumstances. There may be others feeling lost in their grief who are just needing someone to say “me too” and hold them up.

When you are hurting, you can still heal those around you. You may even find that, in helping others, you begin to find healing yourself.

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What About You?

What grief or painful experience are you going through?

How have others helped you through a difficult time that felt hopeless?

What is one positive outcome that has come from a negative situation you have experienced?

What is one way you can reach out to someone who needs encouragement?

3.13.24

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