Senior Living - July 25, 2016
How God brings purpose to your pain
July 25
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
In 1818, little 9-year-old Louis was sitting in his father’s workshop outside of Paris, France. His dad was a harness maker, and Louis loved watching his father work. He even aspired to one day be a harness maker just like his father.
So his dad began teaching him the skill of cutting the pieces and punching the holes in the leather. But once when Louis hit the hole-puncher, it flew out of his hand and pierced his eye, leaving him fully blind. This led to an infection that spread to his other eye and eventually cost him his eyesight in that one as well.
Years later, Louis was sitting in the garden when someone handed him a pine cone. As he ran his fingers over the ridges, an idea came to mind: What if the blind could learn to read with their hands?! So Louis Braille created an entire alphabet with raised dots, enabling millions of blind men and women to read to this very day.
Louis Braille’s tragic loss of eyesight had a purpose. But it took years of living with his blindness before he began to realize the reason for his pain. Just like him, our pain has a purpose as well. Though we may not see it, God is at work in our suffering. Trust Him to reveal the purpose of your pain in His perfect timing.
Prayer Challenge
Ask God to give you patience in times of trial and trust that He’ll reveal the purpose of your pain in His timing.
Questions for Thought
Why do you think God often uses our pain in order to show us His power?
What are some trials you’ve experienced recently and how have you seen God at work in them?
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