Find your purpose in pain

When man fell in the beginning, God spoke to Eve and said;

“I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” ~ Genesis 3:16 NKJV

Since Eve was the one who allowed the enemy to deceive her into breaking God’s command in the Garden of Eden, God pronounced a judgment upon her. He multiplied her pain in child bearing and I find it amazing how this pain has been used throughout the scriptures as an example to describe something that will bring much discomfort or distress in a situation or in the lives of people. Watch this;

And they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them; They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; They will be amazed at one another; their face will be like flames ~ Isaiah 13:8 NKJV

Fear took hold of them there, and pain, as if a woman in birth pangs ~ Psalm 48:6 NKJV

What will you say when He punishes you? For you have taught them to be chieftains, to be head over you. Will not pangs seize you, like a woman in labor? ~ Jeremiah 13:21 NKJV

These scriptures are just a few examples of how this pain has been used to describe a terrifying or troubling situation in the lives of people. This means that pain is not something we can laugh about or enjoy, but rather, it comes into our lives to afflict us. Our pains are unique to us and we find that we are unable to enjoy life or continue comfortably with our day to day activities because we are afflicted.

Look at Job for example. His life was brought to a standstill the moment the enemy brought calamities to his life. The pain in his life could not allow him to progress, work or do anything meaningful with his life. In fact, when his friends came to see him, they couldn’t talk or say anything for seven days and seven nights because of the pain he was going through (Job 2:12-13). This is to help us understand that pain is unpleasant to all of us and I believe that nobody loves to be in a painful situation.

Because we live in a fallen, sinful world, pain is inevitable. Everyone can admit that at some point in their lives or even right now, they have experienced pain or are going through some painful experience. It could be physical, relational, financial, mental, emotional, social and so forth, because our pains are unique to us. But the bottom line is that no one is exempted. The scriptures make it clear that being followers of Christ does not exempt us from suffering, but rather, we should expect it. In fact, we should be worried once we realize that we are sailing smoothly.

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy ~ 1 Peter 4:12-13 NKJV

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33 NKJV

There are so many ways that pain finds its way into our lives, but one thing is for sure, whether or not God is involved in it, there is grace to overcome. One of the things we need to understand is that pain does not mean that we are being punished for something we did. Job was not going through pain because he was under God’s punishment. God allowed the enemy to afflict him for His own purpose and it does happen in our lives as well. But there are also some pains that come as a result of our own disobedience and wrong decisions like in the case of Eve.

However, we need to understand that no matter what we are going through or the kind of pain we are in, all hope is not lost. Eve messed up, and God pronounced judgment over her life that has affected the female gender, but it was not the end of her. Her potential to become the mother of humanity was still in her, and all of us came from her. She was still able to bring forth children, meaning she was fruitful and productive. God did not take away His blessing from her when she messed up. The blessing He had pronounced over humanity was valid and still is today. Your pain or whatever negative issues you may be facing in your life right now is not the end for you. God wants to deliver and heal you because He is your Father and He cares for you. His blessing is upon your life no matter how much pain you are going through. He still delivered Job and restored double for everything he had lost back to him, and He can do it for you too.

God’s desire is for you to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth not only with children, but also with mind-blowing ideas and witty inventions. It’s in your fruitfulness and multiplication that you subdue and dominate your world. Your failure to be fruitful, multiply and subdue the earth does not just affect you, but others as well. When you limit yourself, you limit someone else. God desires to use you to empower, uplift and enlighten others so that they can become all they were created to become. Therefore, pick yourself up and fight whatever holds you back; learn to see yourself beyond your shortcomings, failures, depression, and limitations, and unleash your potential; shift your focus from the pain you are going through and look deeper within you because there is so much wealth of potential you are carrying inside of you. That potential cannot be realized if you keep seeing yourself through the filter of the pain you are passing or have been through.

As much as we don’t like going through pain or experiencing it, we need to understand that God uses pain in our lives to birth new seasons, beginnings, purposes, and His plans on earth. That is why the scripture constantly talks about “pain as that of a woman in labor.” We don’t need to be told that a woman in labor has been carrying her pregnancy for nine months and is now due for delivery. Jesus noted in the book of John;

Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world ~ John 16:20-21 ESV

God declared to the enemy that the same woman he used to mess His plans up, will bear a seed that would bring his downfall.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” ~ Genesis 3:15 ESV

Whatever the enemy has used to bring you pain, will be the same thing God will use to manifest His divine plans and purposes for your life. All you need is to release yourself to Him and partner with Him so that He can use you as a vessel of honor.