Stepping Stones: Divide Your Pain, Multiple Your Joy

Transformational Thought

Most of us are very selective about the parts of our lives we bring to God. We hesitate to bring traits that we consider shameful … partly because we actually believe He doesn’t see them, and partly because we are ashamed to even think about them again. Some of us are so used to living with pain, loneliness, guilt, fear, anxiety, and stress that it never occurs to us to ask for help in dealing with these problems. We assume help is not available and this pain is an unavoidable and guaranteed sentence from which there is no relief.

Some seem to believe they accumulate degree-of-difficulty points (like in diving) for overcoming the most hardships and pain, commonly called the martyr syndrome or victim mentality. For others, pain of some kind has been such an integral part of growing up that, in a weird way, it is hard for them to navigate life without the pain. These people seem to sabotage success, or even go out of their way to create problems. Sometimes, we get so preoccupied with our struggles, we even forget God is with us and will provide help.

God really desires to heal the hurting parts of your life. However, some of the pain has been with you so long, it becomes part of your identity. Sometimes you are so addicted to certain painful patterns that it’s difficult to break free from them. Only repeatedly exposing them to God’s healing presence will bring you long-term healing and freedom.

Today, turn to your Lord when you are hurting. He will share and reduce your pain. Remember, the Bible is the book about suffering, especially spiritual suffering. The Bible tells how God loved us so much that He miraculously provided a way for ultimate healing. He also has many promises for the smaller daily sufferings we experience. Turn to your Lord when you are in pain and rejoice in these circumstances remembering He is with you. He has joy, peace, and comfort, as well as a message for you. He is communicating through your pain. Click here for a resource to help navigate your pain.

Prayer
Dear Father God, I am so grateful to you, Lord, grateful that I can come to you no matter what condition I am in … just as I am. Thank You, Father. I am relieved that I don’t have to “clean up my act” before I come to You; You already know the worst about me. When I am hurting, I want to be with someone who understands me without condemning me. When I am happy, I delight in being with someone who loves me enough to celebrate with me. I pray that You help me bring more and more of myself to You. I pray this and all prayers in the name of the one who divides my pain and multiplies my joy, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children say - AMEN!

The Truth
The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
Psalm 126:3

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
Romans 8:1

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
1 Peter 5:6-10

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to set the captives free, and recover sight to the blind, and to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luke 4:18

Stepping Stones: Divide Your Pain, Multiple Your Joy

Note: Rejoice! Today marks the mailing of our 1,000,000th Stepping Stones. We know many more have been read on websites and facebook as well as faithful readers using them in other ministries and forwarding it to bless others. Thank you so much, as God has used you to bless and encourage others and us. Let’s get after 2 million!

Transformational Thought

Most of us are so selective about which parts we bring to God. We hesitate to bring traits that we consider shameful…partly because we actually believe He doesn’t see them, and partly because we are ashamed to even think about it again. Some of us are so used to living with pain, feeling loneliness, guilt, fear – that it never occurs to us to ask for help in dealing with these problems. We assume help is not available and this pain is an unavoidable part of life.

For some, they seem to believe there are degree of difficulty points (like diving) for overcoming the most hardship…for others, pain of some kind has been such an integral part of their growing up, that in a weird way, it is hard for them to navigate life without the pain. Sometimes, we get so preoccupied with our struggles, why they are there and how to dig out, that we even forget that God is actually with us and will provide help.

God really desires to heal your hurting parts. However some of the pain has been with you so long, it becomes part of your identity. Sometimes you are so addicted to certain painful patterns that it’s difficult to break free from them. Only repeatedly exposing them to God’s healing presence will bring you long-term healing and freedom.

Today, turn to your Lord when you are hurting; He will share and reduce your pain. Remember, the Bible is a book about suffering, our spiritual suffering, and how God loved us so much and miraculously provided a way for ultimate healing. He also has many promises for the smaller, daily sufferings we experience. Turn to the Lord when you are in pain and rejoice in these circumstances as He is with you. He has a joy, peace, and comfort, as well as a message for you He is communicating through your pain.

Prayer
Dear Father God, I am so grateful to you, Lord, that I can come to you not matter what condition I am in…just as I am. Thank You, Father. I am relieved that I don’t have to “clean up my act” before I come to You; you already know the worst about me. When I am hurting, I want to be with someone who understands me without condemning me. When I am happy, I delight in being with someone who loves me enough to celebrate with me. I pray that You help me bring more and more of myself to You. I pray this and all prayers in the name of the one who divides my pain and multiplies my joy, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children say - AMEN!

The Truth
The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
Psalm 126:3

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
Romans 8:1

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
1 Peter 5:6-10

Stepping Stones: The Slow Squeeze of Death

Transformational Tip
I once watched a TV special on pythons…you know, those big snakes. They are fascinating; they actually swallow their prey whole. The TV program showed a giant python swallowing and digesting a whole calf. What I found most fascinating was the way in which the python actually killed their prey. Like most people I thought they simply “crushed” their victims…squeeze them to death. Not so. They suffocate their victims. They slowly coil around the victim, many times while the victim is sleeping. Each time the victim exhales the python gently tightens their grip. After a few exhales the snake has restricted the victim’s ability to inhale and then they suffocate.

Satan works very much like a python to destroy souls. He doesn’t crush us with one powerful squeeze, he doesn’t take us out with one blow; he slowly and gently wraps himself around our minds and souls and begins the suffocation process. Instead of depriving us of oxygen, he deprives us of God…leading to our spiritual death.

Today, be aware of Satan’s possible grip on you. Are you finding it hard to inhale? Feeling short of breath? Unlike the python, Satan is easily removed. Resist and Rebuke him and all his works, accept Jesus as you savior…and watch the enemy lose his grip. Say today’s prayer, it is a prayer of salvation. If you are a Christian, apply the reality and magnitude of the Christmas story to today’s worry.

Click here to share with the Stepping Stones community your thoughts on Satan’s slow squeeze of death.

Prayer
Dear Father God, I confess that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for trying to live my life without You. I need and ask for Your forgiveness. I know I cannot save myself and need a Savior. I believe by faith and not through anything I can do, that Jesus, Your Son, died on the cross to be my Savior. I believe He paid the penalty for my sin for me. I believe He rose from the grave to conquer death, sin, and sin’s separation of me from You. I trust You, Jesus, as my personal Savior, receive You as my Lord, and I turn from my sinful ways. Oh God, thank You for Your grace in forgiving my sins, coming into my life, being with me forever. Now help me make You the King of my life. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ; and all God’s children said - AMEN!

The Truth
With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.
Daniel 11:32
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7