Author Archives: Pastor Tommy

Who hasn’t experienced the pain of a broken heart?  Unfulfilled promises . . . unmet goals . . . shattered dreams . . . fractured families . . . rebellious children . . . broken relationships . . . passed over for promotion . . . lost job . . . loss of health . . . loss of a loved one . . . The list goes on and on.  If this wasn’t bad enough, in a fallen and sinful world, it is hard wired into our DNA to be heart breakers.  We are characterized by seeking what we want rather than seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33).  We pursue our own good and not the good of others.  We strive to satisfy our desires and our needs, to accomplish our goals and our dreams, regardless of the cost or circumstance . . . and we leave a trail of broken hearts in our wake.

So how could I possibly come up with the idea that a broken heart is the result of God’s grace?  I’m glad you asked!

If we truly believe Scripture’s assertion that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28, NASB), we must then confess that even broken hearts are ultimately a grace of God.  Broken hearts remind us that life does not consist of the stuff of this world.  Sooner or later, everything on this side of the grave will fall short of our expectations and disappoint us.  But this heartbreak should drive us back to the Cross, where broken hearts are made whole by the Master’s touch.

But there is another aspect of the grace of a broken heart that I would like to call to your attention.  David acknowledged that “A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).  David understood at the deepest level that a heart that is broken under the weight of sin is a grace of gargantuan proportions from the hand of Almighty God.  When God breaks our heart, it is the best break we could ever experience!

David had plenty of personal experience with this grace of God.  The king knew that his sin prevented him from breaking his own heart.  Sin had seduced David into thinking that he was entitled to have anything he wanted, whenever he wanted it, without regard for what his actions might do to others.  David was the ultimate heartbreaker, until the Lord sent Nathan to confront him.  The grace of confrontation, which I have discussed in a previous article, forced David to face himself.  For the first time, David saw himself just as he was: a great sinner in need of an even greater Savior.  God mercifully gave David the grace of a broken heart, which drove David to the throne of grace . . . the only place where he could find healing and restoration.

Years ago, Dr. Kennedy addressed a group at the seminary, and he said something I have never forgotten: “You cannot break the law of God.  You can only break yourself upon it.”  Think about that for a moment; what might seem on the surface like breaking the law of God is really only breaking ourselves on it.  We are the ones who are ultimately broken, not God’s law.  “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8). 

Yet despite our willful rejection of God’s law and our stubborn denial of God’s authority over our lives, He is gracious to give to us a broken and contrite heart that can sense the wickedness of our sin and drive us to the only place we can find healing.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT…AMEN!

Have you ever been encouraged to feel better about your life by comparing your lot with those who have less?  Many well-meaning family members and friends, even counselors, suggest this without ever realizing what is happening at the deepest level.  Comparing ourselves with others generally leads to two sins: pride or covetousness. 

When we compare ourselves with those who have more, our sin nature rises up within us and begins coveting. 

You are content with your job . . . until your friend gets a promotion.

You are content with your home . . . until your friend buys a bigger home.

You are content with your vacation . . . until your friend shows you pictures of his vacation.

Our natural defense mechanism to keep from coveting what others have is to compare ourselves with those who have less, and once again our sin nature rears its ugly head—this time in pride. 

I may not have the job I studied, planned, and trained for, but look at Joe; he’s been out of work for months! At least I’m working!

I may only have a cramped little house, but look at John; he’s renting a mobile home! At least I own a house!

My marriage may be a little rocky—OK, very rocky—but look at Jim; His wife left him last month! At least I’m still married!

The Bible does not teach us to find our contentment in what others lack.  Our comparisons are never to be horizontal; they are always to be vertical.  Paul never compared himself with any of the other apostles.  In fact, when he did get into comparisons, he always saw himself as “the very least of all the saints” (Ephesians 3:8) and “the foremost” of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).    Horizontal comparisons never shaped Paul’s life; Christ did.  Paul never denied the reality of difficulty, struggle, or need.  He simply determined to live above the circumstances of his life by relying on the power of Jesus.  Paul wrote, “I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:12-13). Paul always looked vertically in life, which was the secret to his contentment.

It’s important to remember that Paul said he had learned contentment, which means he was not content by nature . . . and neither are we! We are restless.  We are dissatisfied.  We are unfulfilled.  Only when we fix our eyes on Jesus will we begin the lifelong process of learning contentment.  It is all of grace, yet it takes time and effort.  God gives us the grace to accept our lot in life, whether it is filled with abundance or lack and scarcity.  To live a life of contentment in the midst of shattered dreams and broken promises is only possible through our relationship with Christ.  Christ is our contentment, not our current condition in life. 

When we make horizontal comparisons in life, we are building upon sand.  Is there anything you have in this physical world that the storms of life cannot take away?  The only thing that can never be taken away is your relationship with Christ.  When we fix our eyes on Him we build a life upon the Rock of ultimate contentment.  We can run the race with endurance and joy.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!  

We have all heard the phrase “the apple of his eye.”  But do we know what it means from a biblical perspective?  We find it a number of times in the Scriptures with the basic meaning of favorite, desired, or beloved. 

“He shielded them and cared for them, guarding them as the apple of his eye.” (Deuteronomy 32:10)

“Keep me as the apple of your eye.” (Psalms 17:8)

“Keep my commands and live, my teaching as the apple of your eye.” (Proverbs 7:2)

When the Scriptures identify God’s Word as “the apple of our eye,” we are to understand that the Scriptures are to be the object of our desire.  When the Scriptures identify us as “the apple of His eye” we are to understand that we are the object of God’s desire.  Have you ever thought of yourself as the object of His desire?  Omnipotence cares for you, guards you, and desires you!  You are the most cherished in the eyes of your Creator.  You are His favorite, His beloved. 

This is the number one reason we are to understand our faith as a relationship and not a religion.  The Christian life is not about what we do.  It is not bound up in a list of do’s and don’ts, despite the fact that Scripture outlines many things we are to do and not do.  Nevertheless, the Christian life is about who we are in Christ.  It is about a relationship with the living God.  The Creator of the universe desires you—your trust, your devotion, your love—above everything else in all of creation.  Now if that doesn’t light the fire of your faith . . . your wood’s wet!   

Even after Adam and Eve turned away from God and gave their hearts to another in the Garden, God made it clear that man was still “the apple of His eye” when He announced His intention to rescue fallen mankind: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15).  God’s promise to destroy the works of the devil would be accomplished through the death of His Son, the Captain of our salvation.

Think about what that really means.  The righteousness of God demanded payment for sin.  If God simply waived the just punishment for our sins, He would be guilty of a miscarriage of justice—a contradiction of the very nature of God.  So, in an expression of incredible mercy and grace, God accepted that payment, not from those who had sinned, but from the only One who knew no sin (2 Cor. 5:21).  The blood that was demanded in payment for our high treason against God was the blood of His precious Son . . . not the blood of “the apple of His eye.”

The righteous Judge of all the earth (Genesis 18:25) is also a forgiving Judge.  The righteousness of God demanded justice, not forgiveness. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5).

To be “the apple of His eye” is to be loved beyond all human comprehension.  God’s eternally beloved Son was sacrificed on the cross for sinful, selfish, self-absorbed people who desired to live outside of their divine design.  “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).  Truly His grace is amazing, in that God would pursue and rescue rebels like you and me and make us “the apple of His eye.”

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!   

In 1965 the Rolling Stones released “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” a Number One hit that is now ranked at the top of at least one list of the 100 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time.  The song was one of the 1960’s anthems of rebellion, but I believe that the reason for the song’s enduring popularity is that it is rooted in the reality of the human condition. 

I can’t get no satisfaction,

I can’t get no satisfaction.

‘Cause I try and I try and I try and I try,

I can’t get no, I can’t get no.

Every child of Adam is born into the condition of dissatisfaction because of one simple reason: sin.  Sin separates us from God, and we remain restless in our endless search for satisfaction.  Not until a person is born again by the power of the Holy Spirit will real and meaningful satisfaction ever be experienced. 

Pastor Tullian frequently quotes Augustine: “God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.” We are made by God for God, and there is a God-sized void within every individual that can only be filled by God.  Work cannot fill it.  Money cannot fill it.  Success cannot fill it.  Relationships cannot fill it.  Alcohol and drugs cannot fill it.  Pleasure cannot fill it.  Recreation and hobbies cannot fill it.  We try and we try and we try, but we can never get the satisfaction we crave for at the deepest level.  Only God can fill the space inside every individual that was meant solely for Him.  The things of this world might temporarily make us feel filled and satisfied, but eventually they all turn to dust, leaving us empty and wanting.

So . . . is your life defined more by the Rolling Stones or the Righteous Rock?  Where do you look for satisfaction?

If you are looking for it in anything smaller than God you will never be fully satisfied.  Augustine was 100% right: the desire for satisfaction has been given to us by God.  God created us to be fulfilled and satisfied, but that fulfillment will be found in only one place: a right relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  When we hunger and thirst for the things of this world, we will never be filled.  The Wise Preacher of Ecclesiastes said it is like chasing the wind.  It is only when we hunger and thirst after righteousness that we will be filled.  God has promised it! “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6). 

The righteousness Jesus calls us to hunger and thirst after is not a list of rules.  Far too many in the church believe this is the way to satisfaction and fulfillment, but it is not.  The righteousness Jesus calls us to hunger and thirst after is a relationship with Him as our righteousness; a living, vital, intimate, loving relationship with the King of kings and Lord of lords.  When we are pursuing Jesus, we are promised to be both filled and fulfilled. We will be truly satisfied!

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Today is our final installment of a three-part series on self-examination, inspired by Paul’s exhortation in 1 Corinthians 11:28, “Let a person examine himself and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”  On Monday we examined the motivation of the heart—the why behind what you do.  On Wednesday we explored one of the most important areas in all of life: relationships.  Today we will conclude with a discussion of “transcendence,” with the goal of determining if you are pursuing it in a God-centered way.

So what is this thing called transcendence?  For our purposes, the word transcendence is used in reference to God’s relation to the world.  He is above, beyond, and completely outside of the ordinary.  Being made in God’s image, man is hard-wired for transcendence—living above, beyond, and outside the borders of our lives.  It is stamped into the DNA of every human being to transcend the boundaries of simply “making a living” and “getting through the week” just to “chill out on the weekend.”  We were made for so much more than simply living for ourselves!  Because the One who made you is larger than life, you are to live for something larger than life.  In other words, you are called to live a life that is sold-out for the Savior.

So how are you doing in the area of transcendence?  What have you been living for?  What would those closest to you say about you?  We were made by God and made for God; we were NOT designed to live for something as small as the tiny kingdom of you.  Too many Christians get caught up in the “rat race” of life, never realizing that even if they win the race . . . they’re still a rat!  Transcendent living raises us above the mundane, carries us beyond the meaningless, and delivers us outside of man-centered living.  God has designed you for greatness—not “greatness” as the world defines it, but as God defines it.  Greatness is refusing to live for anything smaller than God.  Greatness is having God both at the center and circumference of your life.  He is your everything, in the most important areas of life as well as in the most mundane.  Do we dare settle for anything less than transcendent living?  May God forbid it! 

The world says, “Live for yourself,” which is actually death.  God says, “Die to yourself” (see Matthew 16:24 and 1 Peter 2:24, for example), which is actually life . . . abundant life . . . a life of transcendence.  A transcendent life is a life shaped by the Savior, grown by grace, and set apart for selfless service of God and others.  This is not the narrow field of “leaving a legacy” that many speak about today.  God created us, not for leaving our personal legacy but to expand His under the lordship of Jesus Christ.  When we understand our lives to be all about Him rather than us, we are freed to live for something bigger than ourselves.  Only transcendent living provides the necessary meaning, significance, and purpose that every human being craves from the cradle to the grave. 

Does transcendence mark your life?  What gets you up early?  What drives you to give it all you have with all you have been given?  Never settle for less than what you have been created for!  I don’t know if God has called you to be a butcher, baker, or candlestick maker.  What I do know is that He has called you to do whatever you are doing for His glory and His glory alone.  God is on a mission of making all things new, and He has called us to be part of this “above and beyond” process.

This is transcendent living.  This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

We’re in the midst of a three-part series of self-examination, inspired by Paul’s exhortation in 1 Corinthians 11:28—“Let a person examine himself and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”  On Monday we looked at the motivation of the heart—the why behind what you do.  Today we will look at one of the most important areas in all of life: relationships!

How would you rate yourself in the area of relationships?  Remember that God said that it is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18), which means we were created for relationship, beginning with our Creator.  We cannot begin to live in a right relationship with each other until we are in a right relationship with Jesus!  When we are rooted in a relationship with our Redeemer, we are rescued from the tyranny of living for our own good and and our own glory; we are freed to live for the good of others to the glory of God. 

 “Where is Abel your brother?”  the Lord questioned Cain (Genesis 4:9).  “I do not know,” Cain replied sullenly; “am I my brother’s keeper?”  The Scriptures are crystal clear about the answer to Cain’s sinful, self-centered question.  The answer is YES, YES, a thousand times YES! We are our brother’s keeper!  Steve Brown summed it up succinctly: “All those who belong to Jesus belong to all those who belong to Jesus.”  When God saved you, He placed you within His body, called the church, eliminating all barriers of separation erected up by man.  Paul explained to the church at Colossi that “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11). We are all part of the same body and as such, we each need all of us.  The Bible knows nothing of the solitary saint.  The Christian life was never meant to be lived in intentional isolation, with self-protection as the highest goal.   

The Triune God is in a perfect relationship; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, providing the perfect relationship model for all the world to see.  If we are to reflect the character of Christ in a way that glorifies God, it must include the way we relate to others . . . all others.  Make no mistake, God is never more pleased and proclaimed—glad and glorified—than when we love and lay our lives down for others, just as He loved and laid down his life for us.  Our relationships are to shine a light on the transcendent glory and grace of God.  Our relationships should bear witness to a watching world what God is like and what He is here to do: rescue this fallen, broken, sin-filled world and make all things new . . . including relationships.      

My beloved Pastor Tullian said it beautifully in this section in his book, Unfashionable:

Just as bicycle spokes are linked by their common attachment to the hub, so Christians are linked by their common attachment to Christ.  In him, Christians of every tribe, tongue, and nation become brothers and sisters.  Though we’re all distinct, all different, in Christ we’re no longer divided.  We don’t always act unified, but that doesn’t change the fact that in Christ we are one.

Because of the power of the Gospel, we remain distinct, yet we refuse to be divided because serving Jesus is more important than serving the self.

So . . . how are you doing in the area of relationships?  What changes do you need to make?  Only the Gospel in all its glory can reorient the direction of our heart away from the self and toward the Savior.  The more we live in the deep truths of the Gospel, the more we will live a cross-shaped life: worshipping God and serving others.  Laying our lives down for others is the primary sign of the diminishing rule of the sinful heart and the increasing rule of the Savior in our lives.  This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

This week I will present a three-part series on an often neglected “means of grace” that is designed to return blessings multiplied to those who consistently engage in it.  One of the overarching themes in the Bible is that of self-examination.  “Let a person examine himself . . .” Paul exhorts, “and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28).

Today we will focus on motivation; this is the “why” behind what you do.  Why serve the Lord with all your heart?  Why go to church?  Why study the Bible?  Why pray without ceasing?  Why go that extra mile?  Why give more than you receive?  Why love God and others more than yourself?  Why forgive when you have been wronged?  Why confess your sin and ask for forgiveness when you have wronged someone else?  Make no mistake, the “why” behind what you do is more important than what you are actually doing!

The Pharisees—for whom our Lord reserved some of His sharpest rebukes—did all the right things . . . but for all the wrong reasons.  Their motivation was rooted in what they believed they would receive in return for what they were doing.  In essence, they were working their way toward God in an attempt to earn His favor and secure His blessings. 

Paul provides the Master’s motivation that should rightly drive all of our attitudes and actions in 2 Corinthians 5:14—“Christ’s love compels us.”  What an all-consuming motivation, the love of Christ!  Paul would not be motivated by guilt.  He knew that guilt would only take him so far and its hold on him would eventually weaken.  Nor would Paul be motivated by fear.  He knew that fear would only take him so far and its hold on him would eventually ease.  For Paul the only “why” for doing anything was the overwhelming love showered upon him by his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  It was the only lasting power to pull him into the perfect plan and purpose God had called him to.

And how did Paul keep this powerful motivator before him?  The Gospel!  Only the good news of the Gospel has the power to transform our lives.   

Jack Miller said, “We need to preach the Gospel to ourselves every day.”  Far too many Christians believe the Gospel is only for sinners who need to be saved.  The Gospel is just as necessary for sinners who need to be sanctified.  In preaching the Gospel to ourselves daily, we are reminded that we are still sinners who need of the love of Christ, who laid down His life for the forgiveness of our sins.  “God demonstrates his own love for us in this” Paul wrote: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  What greater motivation could there be to live the Christian life than to know that Jesus loves us that much?  At this level of living, duty turns into devotion that springs from a heart overflowing with thanksgiving for all that Jesus has done.   

So . . . what is the “why” behind what you do?  I pray that a little self-surgery on your soul today will open your heart to the incredible hope-filled, joy-powered motivation of all that God in Christ has done for you.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

To be sure, there are many questions in life which ignorance of—or indifference to—the answer matter not at all.  Here are a few examples:

• Why do “fat chance” and “slim chance” mean the same thing?
• Why are there Interstates in Hawaii?
• Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?

However, there are questions that we simply cannot afford to misunderstand or ignore!

• “How then can a man be righteous before God?” (Job 25:4, NIV)
• “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”  (Luke 18:18)
• “What must I do to be saved?”  (Acts 16:30)

Did you know that everyone asks questions like these?  It’s true!  Everyone is looking for their source of salvation and significance, whether they consciously recognize it or not.  Some look for it in their work; others in relationships; still others in their hobbies.  These things occupy our minds, consume our time, and absorb our resources.  By nature, we hold idolatrous affections for things smaller than God.  These things are often good things—ministry, our children, charitable giving, good health, a clean house—that we have allowed to become ultimate things. 

Looking to any object other than God for happiness and fulfillment is looking for salvation in a “functional savior,” as our Pastor Tullian has so clearly explained.  And make no mistake: everyone is looking to some sort of functional savior(s) until Jesus shows up. 

Take a moment to prayerfully consider what some of your “functional saviors” might be.  Here is a quick self-examination.

I am preoccupied with _________________________.

I would be happy if I could only get _______________.

I would be absolutely shattered if I lost ____________.

When I daydream, my mind goes to _______________.

I get my sense of significance from ________________. 

I get up early for ________________ and stay up late for ________________.

The greatest love in my life is the love I feel for ____________.

Zacchaeus had his money, Peter his fishing, and Paul his religion . . . before Jesus showed up and changed them all from the inside out.  Jesus reoriented their lives with the truth of the Gospel, a truth that would be clearly demonstrated in changed lives that all the world could see.

So . . . what is your answer to this most important question?  Paul and Silas answered it this way: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31).  Peter explained, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

You see, functional saviors can never do for us what only Jesus can do.  You have been created by God, for God, and you will never be able to get from created things what only the Creator can give you.  This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

We all deal with our own personal prisons.  For some it is living with pain from the past.  For others it is dealing with fear of the future.  Perhaps it is neither past nor future that binds us; the present looms with countless prisons that confine.  Materialism can put us behind bars; workaholism becomes a ball and chain (even in ministry); addictions can lock us up.  The great Baptist preacher Charles H. Spurgeon once rightly remarked, “Many are the prisons of affliction in which the Lord’s servants are shut up.”

So what personal prisons hold you today?  Regardless, I have good news: you are not alone!

 David delivered a most amazing promise from God in Psalm 23:3—“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”  God has promised never to leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).  Whatever you are going through right now, you are not going through it alone; God is right there with you.

When Nebudchadnezzar sentenced Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to die in the fiery furnace, the Lord came and walked with the young Hebrew boys in the flames (Daniel 2:25).  When Paul was locked up in prison, “The Lord stood by him” (Acts 23:11).  The same Lord who had walked in the Garden of Eden, prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, and died on Golgotha’s Hill now stood beside Paul in prison.  And He has promised to do the same for you, regardless of the prison you are facing.  This should not only be a source of great comfort to you, it should be a source of powerful motivation to rise above your circumstances!

If your prison is of your own making, you can feel very far away from Jesus, even though He is standing right next to you.  The seduction of sin shatters the “shalom,” the sense of peace and wholeness that you experience with your Savior, causing you to feel remote from Him.  Knowing that Jesus stands with you strengthens you to fight against the powers of your personal prisons by appropriating the grace He provides for you to fight—and win—your battles.  When sleep departs and the silence screams, Jesus is still with you!

If your prison is the result of persecution because you have chosen to live for Jesus regardless of the cost or circumstance, Jesus stands alongside you to strengthen and comfort, just as He did for Paul, giving you all the grace you need to finish your race. 

Remember, Jesus stood with Paul when he was faithfully serving Him; He also stood with Peter after he had denied Him three times.  He is always for you, even when you are against Him.  “If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13).  This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds” (James 1:2).

OK, most of us know the Bible says we are to consider pain to be a cause for rejoicing, but, as my friend Steve Brown likes to say . . . can we talk? The man who lost his job two months ago and hasn’t found anything new, the man who has bill collectors calling nonstop and whose wife seems to be more remote by the day . . . he’s supposed to count that as joy?  Such a response might be expected from a super-spiritual saint like Job, but for everyday believers like you and me, would you say that that God seems to be asking a bit much?

When was the last time you thought about your pain in the context of it being pleasing to God?  It’s probably been awhile; pain springing forth out of the fountain of pleasing God is counterintuitive.  It’s certainly more comfortable to believe that pleasing God would result in pleasure for the one who is pleasing God.  Yet when you read the biblical accounts of those who were pleasing God and living dead center in His will, pain was the confession of their lives.

Abraham was commanded by God to sacrifice his beloved son.  Joseph was sold into slavery by his resentful siblings.  John the Baptist was beheaded by a lecherous tyrant.  Stephen was stoned to death by an angry mob.  All the apostles except John died a martyr’s death, and John died in lonely exile on the Isle of Patmos.  Pleasing God is certainly no guarantee of comfortable passage for those who live as pilgrims passing through a strange and hostile land (see 1 Peter 2:11).  2 Timothy 3:12 presents a sober warning: “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”  The promise is pain for all who seek to live a life worthy of their calling.

Since the fall of Adam and Eve, God promised that there will be an ongoing battle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, a battle that will continue until God in Christ makes all things new (Revelation 21:1-5).  One lesson we can take from man’s cosmic treason in the Garden is that pain will confront everyone who seeks to be ruler of their own little kingdom.  And God, in His grace, will make sure that pain wins this battle!  When we are seduced by self-sufficiency, the grace of pain propels us back to our Savior.  God uses pain to keep us from living for anything smaller than God.

The grace of pain breaks down the walls of self-rule, self-protection, and self-security, ultimately “bringing you to the end of yourself,” as Steve Brown rightly observed.  We must be careful not to fixate on that moment in the future when our pain will end and miss the good God is doing right in the middle of it.  James concluded his startling exhortation to “count it all joy” by explaining that “the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” And he went on to say that you should “let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:3-4).

Imagine for a moment that all of life was pure pleasure.  On the surface that might sound inviting.  But continual pleasure without the grace of pain would cause us to shrink the size of our lives down to the size of our lives. 

So where in your life has God been sending you the grace of pain?  More importantly, what have you been doing with it?  Chuck Swindoll said years ago, “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.”  As pain comes into our lives, we should react to it with joy, because we know that pain is ultimately coming from a loving Father who is working it all together for our good (Romans 8:28).  This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!