Hearing God's VoiceSample

There’s a lie that’s pretty common which says, if you follow Jesus then you’ll be happy. All of your problems will magically disappear. This is a problem, because when we go through a difficult or painful time, we think Jesus has failed us. Jesus didn’t fail you. Jesus didn’t come to make you happy. He came so you could be more like him. A lot of times, pain is the thing Jesus uses to draw us closer to him. Now, don't get me wrong.  I'm not saying Jesus is the one who causes the pain and the hurt. But, he can take the pain and hurt we experience and use it for our good and our growth. What if instead of viewing our pain as a problem that needs fixing, we saw it as something that can point us to Jesus? God can speak to us through our painful experiences. Your pain may be the result of sin, or painful patterns in Your life. The pain you experience may be God saying to you, “I have better for you. You don’t have to live like this.” Your pain may be the result of losing something that mattered to you. In those moments, you might begin to reassess what’s most important to you. God may be asking, “What are you relying on for security, happiness, or peace? Is it anything other than me?” Or, God might be using your pain to teach you something else. Next time you go through a difficult time, instead of asking God, “Why is this happening to me?” Ask, “What are you trying to teach me in this?”