Pain

One of my goals in starting this discipline of thankful things was to be able to be thankful for the things that I didn’t like, too.  I knew that God called me to it (He put that on my heart when I read Corrie ten Boom’s The Hiding Place), I just wasn’t there yet.  God honors discipline and faithfulness; today, I caught a glimpse of that kind of thankfulness.  

I am thankful for the pain that God allows in my life - because He allows it.  The very fact that He allowed it means that He is using it to conform me to the image of His Son. (Romans 8:29)

It brings to mind a scene from the movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.  Robin Hood and his men came upon Friar Tuck and asked for a “donation” of his beer.  Since his beer was something he held very dear, he refused and tried to escape with it in his cart.  In return, Robin Hood and his men harnessed him to the cart in place of his horse and made Tuck haul it back to their camp.  After pulling the cart that whole way, Friar Tuck said, “Thank You, Lord, for teaching me humility.”

It’s a bit of a comedic moment, but it’s so exemplary of the attitude that we should have.  Tuck knew what God was teaching him, and there are definitely times that God shows us.  There are also times when He doesn’t.  I don’t always know how God is using my pain - whatever type of pain that may be - but I do know that it is always for the good of His children (including me) and His glory. (Romans 8:28)

To live in Christ is Victory.