Devotionals for the Heart: When I learned how pain can be a blessing

The Blessing of Pain
A devotional by Tessa Huckstep

“And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” –Luke 8:48 (KJV) 

“Isn’t it amazing that God gives us pain so that we know something is wrong?”

My sister’s words really made me stop and think. Our grandmother had just been rushed to the hospital because she was having severe pains in her abdomen. Her pain was an indication that something was internally wrong—something was not as it should be.

We often think of pain as a nuisance. We say that we could do more and be more if we had less pain in life—physical and emotional. Pain is something we seek to avoid and brush to the side. Often, our philosophy in life is “experience as much pleasure as possible and as little pain as possible”.

But what if we chose to see pain as a blessing? What if instead of running from pain and avoiding pain, we chose to take our pain to the Healer, Jesus Christ? He is the only one who can make us whole. What if we chose to see pain as an indication that something inside of us is not as it should be?

The verse I chose for this devotional is from the story of the woman with an issue of blood. You can read the whole story in Luke 8:40-48. For twelve years, this woman suffered in pain. She spent all the money she had searching for a cure or someone to help her. Nothing she did helped, but the pain she experienced continuously told her that something was wrong. Instead of pushing the pain aside or choosing to surrender to the pain in defeat, she understood that the pain was telling her that she was not whole. There was something wrong inside of her and she went to Jesus for the healing she needed.

We all experience pain in our lives. Pain proves that we live in a fallen world where heartache and burdens are inevitable. Pain is an indicator that there is something wrong and that we are not yet whole. Pain is something we will experience until we reach Heaven, but thankfully we know that we can always go to Jesus Christ with our pain. Jesus is still the Great Healer and He still gives the peace that passes all understanding.

Are you currently experiencing some kind of pain in your life? Consider this pain a blessing. God uses our pain to remind us that this world is not our home. We were made for Heaven and for eternal fellowship with God our Father. Allow the pain to remind you to take your burdens to God. It is only when we lay our pain at the feet of our Jesus, our Savior, and spend time in fellowship with Him that we can experience the wholeness we were made for.

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord, thank You for the blessing of pain in our lives. Please grant us the courage to acknowledge our pain and bring our pain to You. Help us to seek wholeness in You alone. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Blessings” by Laura Story. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Tessa Huckstep grew up in rural Illinois. She was born to Christian parents and has known Jesus Christ personally since the age of five. 

Currently, Tessa is attending community college and majoring in elementary education. In the future, she plans to teach in the public school system, hoping to bring the love of God with her.

Tessa enjoys being active in her local church. She serves as a co-teacher for the two-to-five year old class where there is never a dull moment.

It is Tessa’s passion to be a girl after God’s own heart and through her studying of God’s Word, Tessa longs to draw closer to her Savior. Through her writing, she longs to take others with her on this journey of faith.

Tessa loves all things Regency, needlework, and dainty teacups of every size.

When she isn’t writing or studying for exams, she can be found in the kitchen with more flour in her hair and on the floor than in the bowl, though the mess is always half the fun!

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Connect with Tessa:
Blog: https://beautifulbeloved937002841.wordpress.com/