Dear Beloved Church Family,

My third born son, Jonathan, who seems to have the natural gift of humor, texted me as I was lying in Robert Wood Johnson Trauma Center after being told my accident was more serious than previously suspected. An early morning second x-ray revealed the seriousness of my fall and caused the hospital to call on a top trauma surgeon – for which I am now very thankful. Jon simply texted: “Does the pain hurt?”

“Pain hurt”? How about that! That text made me both smile and grimace at the same time. I was feeling like someone had whacked my knee with a baseball bat and accomplished a home run in the process. (Doc – let’s get on with the surgery!!!)

When we grow in our understanding of Romans 8:28 and in our understanding of our Sovereign Father, we must view pain through the lens of James 1:17 as a good gift! A good gift? Yes! Pain does hurt. It is meant to! Pain is a tool as is all suffering, to further help grow us in sanctification – if we let it! I believe it was the late, great C.S. Lewis who declared: “God whispers to us in our pleasures. . . but shouts to us in our pains. It (pain) is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Are we listening?

Most of you have suffered and experienced real pain. Pain hurts! It is meant to. We need to ask ourselves the question: “What might God be saying?” That’s what I’m doing as I write this!

More to come!

Pastor Dave Sutter

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