Does My Pain Have A Purpose?
A few years after our accident, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. This was really tough news for my parents because they found out my cancer was the result of all of the x-rays and scans I had on my head after our car wreck. They felt like I was still suffering because of the sins of someone else. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you are still suffering because of the poor choices someone else made that hurt you.
I saw it differently. I had seen God use my brain injury, and I had no doubt that He could use my cancer too. In fact, I told my parents, “Not many people can relate to having a brain injury, but everyone can relate to cancer. Everyone knows someone who has cancer. God is expanding my ministry! I’m going to share Jesus with every person in the cancer center!” That is exactly what happened. When I went to the UVA cancer center for radiation treatment, I took copies of this prayer book you are reading right now and handed them out to every nurse, doctor and patient I met.
Two years later, I was speaking at a church with my parents, and a precious lady named Florence, wearing a navy blue baseball cap came up to me after the service. I could see that she had lost all of her hair. She hugged me and pulled a tattered and worn book out of her purse. It was my prayer book! Florence had been battling cancer for two years, and one of the nurses at the UVA cancer center had given her my book to give her hope. She said, “I hope it’s ok. I’ve been praying your prayers for two years. I even prayed the prayer in the back of the book to accept Jesus as my Savior!”
Six months later, Florence passed away. At first I was tempted to be disappointed with God, but then I realized that she was completely healed in Heaven, dancing on streets of gold. If I had never had cancer, Florence would not be with Jesus. WOW! That’s how God turns our pain into purpose. Your pain might save a life. God never wastes a tear or a trial. He wants to use your story to change someone else’s eternity. So, whenever bad things happen to you, know this: God is up to something big. He has a great purpose for your story. It may be tough for awhile, but it will all be worth it in the end.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).
Taken from Hope Out Loud Prayers- Order Now: https://www.hopeoutloud.com/store/p/jens-prayer-book-bundle
Spanish Version: https://www.hopeoutloud.com/store/p/hope-out-loud-prayers-spanish-paperback
Russian EBook Version: https://www.hopeoutloud.com/store/p/russian-prayers-of-hope-ebook