Power and Pain

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Power and Pain

Andrew Stevens

November 20, 2019 • Savannah Coleman • 2 Corinthians 6:3–10

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"God won’t give you more than you can handle,” many well-meaning people have said. However when you’re going through that dark night of the soul—such as the death of a loved one, an unexpected diagnosis, or other deep pain—this saying does not ring true. We may start to think, "Why does God allow these hard things we don’t, and may never, understand? Is He even still good?"

Whenever I read the words of the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 6, I feel comforted. He endured so many hard things for the sake of Christ, including beatings, prison time, and hunger. Instead of making light of his trials, he acknowledged them for what they were: painful!

But what gave Paul the endurance and the ability to stand up under his troubles? The answer is in verse 7: “The power of God.” He relied on God to give him strength.

As children of God, we belong to Jesus, so we have His power, allowing us to demolish the lies we believe during the hard times: we have the Holy Spirit’s help to take our every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Even though Satan would like to keep us in our place of pain, sorrow, and discouragement, he doesn’t have the final word—because Jesus Christ has defeated sin, suffering, and death through His death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:12-26; 1 Peter 2:22-25).

Perhaps you feel like Paul felt many times, beaten and broken. Be encouraged, for you are not alone. If you know Jesus, He has given you His power and He is with you! • Savannah Coleman

• You or someone you love may be in a place of deep pain and sorrow right now. We live in a broken, sin-filled world. God never promised an easy life, but He did promise that He will be with us always (Matthew 28:20). How does knowing that the God of the universe will never leave or abandon you bring you comfort (Deuteronomy 31:8)?

• Do you ever feel like God doesn’t want to hear about your troubles and your pain? God loves you and wants you to share the good and the ugly, your joys, and even your cries of anger (1 Peter 5:7). What are some things weighing on you that you would like to share with God?

By the word of truth, by the power of God; through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left. 2 Corinthians 6:7 (CSB)

Throne of God

November 30, 2019 • Melissa Yeagle • Psalm 32:1–7, Hebrews 4:14–16, 1 John 1:9

Kalie walked down a long, dark hall that seemed to be going uphill, carrying a load so heavy that it made her back ache. She was out of breath and thinking about giving up when she finally reached the end of the hall. There, she found a room bathed in warm, bright light. It was almost like someone took the sun and stuffed it in a room. . She looked at the far end of the room and saw the Source of the light. The Source was so bright that she could not look directly into it, but with squinted eyes, she could make out a giant throne there. She felt tiny and unimportant in the room. . “Welcome, Kalie. I have been waiting for you,” a Voice boomed from the throne. . “You know my name?” Kalie asked shyly. . “Of course I do. I also know you were born March 19, 2005 and you have 104,506 hairs on your head,” the Voice answered. . Kalie suddenly felt uncomfortable. If He knew all of that, He surely knew all the things she had done wrong. . “Yes, Kalie. I know what you are thinking, and I know what you have done wrong. I also know you have asked for forgiveness. I love you so much, and I forgive you of your sins,” the Voice declared. . When she heard that, the heavy load Kalie had been carrying on her back suddenly disappeared and tears of joy streamed down her face. • Melissa Yeagle . • How can sin be a burden that weighs us down? How can Jesus relieve us of that burden? . • How does Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection make it possible for us to be forgiven? (Learn more on our "Know Jesus" page) . • The throne of God seems intimidating, but through Jesus, we can approach it boldly. What do you need to bring before the throne in prayer today? . If we confess our sins, He [Jesus] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

Waiting Actively

November 29, 2019 • Sarah Rexford • Acts 17:16–20, Ecclesiastes 3:1

Waiting is the worst. Or maybe I’m just the worst at waiting. Especially in the high school years, “real” life seems far away and dreams look distant. It’s easy to think about what we want to do for God in the future; it’s way harder to live that out now. . A few years ago, I saw a need at my school and decided that no matter how small my platform, I’d let God work through me to meet that need. It was amazing to see God work as I stood on a literal stage (the smallest stage on campus!) and used the talents He had given me to point my peers to Jesus. I’d never felt more humbled to be used by the Creator. . Paul found himself in a similar situation in Acts 17. He’d reached Athens and was waiting for his friends (Acts 17:16). In other words, even Paul, one of the most famous men of the New Testament, knew what it was like to wait! . But, rather than just sit around, the chapter says Paul used the marketplace to tell people about Jesus. He was waiting actively. . Yeah, sometimes waiting is hard. But even in the waiting, God is working. Waiting actively means living for Jesus no matter where we are or what season we’re in—trusting that He is working even when we don’t see it. . No matter what you’re waiting on, you can serve Jesus right where you are. You can use the crumbly floor of your cafeteria, the gravely road as you wait for the bus, and even the carpet of your living room. . Whatever season God has you in, wait actively. Know that you can serve God right now. In Jesus’ kingdom, you never know what He’ll do through you! • Sarah Rexford . • What are you waiting on in this season? How is your view of God shown in how you wait? . • How would this season change if you actually lived like you believed Jesus is working during the waiting? . • It’s easy for anxiety to creep up as we wait. Read Matthew 6:25-34, Philippians 4:4-7, and 1 Peter 5:7. What do these verses show about Jesus and His faithfulness? . For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NLT)

Thankful

November 28, 2019 • Cara Campbell • 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24, Hebrews 13:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:18

For as long as I can remember, my grandma has had a little hand-stitched sign in her home that reads: “There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.” As a child, I loved that sign, and, as I grew into adulthood, I began to understand just how meaningful it was. . My grandparents lived out true gratitude. Their lives were not easy, and yet, in the middle of trials and times of having little, they were so thankful. Why? Because they knew whatever happened—no matter how difficult or uncertain things were—they had it all... because they had Jesus. . They knew that no matter what, they were loved, forgiven, rescued, saved. They knew that no matter what, Jesus was there to walk beside them. They knew that no matter what, their identity in Him could never be touched. Their life with Him, both now and forever, was sure. And because they knew they belonged to Him, they could view life differently from the way the world does. They could be thankful in all circumstances... the hard ones, the good ones, the uncertain ones, the joy-filled ones. . A thankful heart radiates deep-rooted contentment and joy that are only found in Jesus. What if we viewed life in light of the sacrifice Jesus made for us when He died on the cross and in light of the gift He gave us when He rose back to life? What if we recognized that what He’s given us is more than we could ever deserve and better than we could even imagine? . So rather than looking at what we don’t have, we can remember that we have life and unshakable hope in Jesus. We can give thanks in the hard things because we know He is faithful and He is near. And we can give thanks in the good because we see how incredibly blessed beyond measure we are and how every gift comes from Him (James 1:17). In Christ, there is always something to be thankful for. • Cara Campbell . • Reread today’s verses. What are some of the hope-filled promises we have in Jesus? How does remembering these promises help us thank God no matter what? . • What are other things you are thankful for? . Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)