No pain, no change, no gain

By Dr. DAN ERICKSON

When I was much younger I played in a variety of sports including baseball, football, basketball and wrestling. I didn’t have natural talent, so I had to work hard to find any success. I know all my coaches meant well, but what I hated most about practice was the constant challenge to move from what felt comfortable to what would bring out my potential. They wanted me to hurt.

They all said the same thing but in different ways:

• “No pain, no gain!”
• “It will hurt, but it will hurt so good!”
• “Exchange short-term pain for long-term fame!”

In “The Problem of Pain,” C.S. Lewis wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts to us in our pain; it is his megaphone to arouse a deaf world.”

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap (pain) to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down but what he did in fact was push me to my knees. No danger then of me walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift and begged God to remove it (my pain). Three times I did that and then he told me, ‘My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.’

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap (my pain) and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size – abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.”(2 Cor. 12:7-10, The Message)

When I started in ministry in 1973, I was fired from my first three churches. My college training had ill-equipped me for the challenges of serving on a church staff, trying to make ends meet and being the husband I needed to be. Everything seemed so hard and so painful. But the pain of my circumstances actually led me to a place where I understood that I needed to change and that I could not do it alone. Christ became my strength and began to lead me into a process that would transform my life and world. And this transformation is continuing to this day.

So like many before me, I have learned the hard way that pain is where your potential and destiny collide. You can’t move forward without it. Like my coaches, we can shout from the megaphone:

• God allows pain in your lives according to your needs.
• God is more concerned with what he is doing in you than with you and through you.
• God knows if he can change your heart he can change your life and so your destiny.
• God uses pain to transform you into the image of his Son, so don’t fight it when you should embrace it.

The facts are clear: If there is no pain there will probably be no change, and where there is no change there will be no eternal gain. Pain is the process God uses to transform us and so transform our world. It really does hurt so good!

Where do you need pain? Where do you need change? Don’t fight it, don’t flee from it, embrace it and imagine the possibilities!

Easter: Be transformed ... and have a good time!

By ED DELPH
www.nationstrategy.com
Guest Blogger

My son, Matthew, was one of those amazing kids that could find fun in
anything. Today, as a young father and husband today, he is still the same.
Years ago he was given a classroom assignment right before Easter. The
assignment was called "What Easter Means to Me." As they say, out of the
mouths of babes.

Here's what he wrote with a few spelling corrections by me: "What
Easter Means To Me. It means to celebrate when Jesus rose from the
dead ... and have a good time. If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ you
may ask Him in. So you can repeat after me, "Jesus, please come into my
heart and please forgive my sins. Amen." And if you said yes, then you are
born again. And you can still have a good time!"

I won't try and top that.

Do you see that? That's what the Bible calls the gospel or the good
news! Forgiveness of sin and a right relationship with God has already been
provided in Christ. He paid the price. God came from Heaven to earth to show
the way back to Him, even with all of our problems, our failures, our past
and years of separation from Him.

God is a God of transformations, not transactions. Author Laurie Beth
Jones in her book, "Teach Your Team to Fish," says the following:
"Transactions are exchanges between people but you stay the same after the
transaction. For example, when you go to the store, you buy a product and
give the cashier money for what you bought. Transactions are obvious and
literal, commonplace and easy to spot. In contrast, transformations are
invisible, uplifting experiences that create a fundamental shift or change."

That's what Jesus did for us on the cross years ago. He still does that
today too! He transforms. His own resurrection from the dead is a
transformation showing us eternal life and as well as an improved life right
here on earth. And you can still have a good time!

You might be saying, "You don't know about what I've done." Look at
some of God's transformations! David's armor didn't fit. John Mark was
rejected by Paul. Hosea's wife was a prostitute. Jacob was a liar. David had
an affair. Solomon was too rich. Abraham was too old. David was too young.
Timothy had ulcers. Peter had foot in mouth disease. Lazarus was dead. Jesus
was too poor. Naomi was a widow. Paul and Moses were murderers. Jonah ran
from God. Miriam was a gossip. Thomas doubted. Jeremiah was depressed and
suicidal. Elijah was burned out. Samson had long hair. Noah got drunk. I
could go on and on. Get the message?

Just put your name in one of the above categories. Maybe you even
invented a new category. It doesn't matter to a God of transformations. God
doesn't require a job interview. God only requires your willingness to have
faith in His Son. Transformation is truly an inside job! And you can still
have a good time. Happy Easter!