Your Pain Had an Assignment

Your Pain Had an Assignment

Text: Hebrews 11:32-40

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—

33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.

36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.

37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—

Your Pain Had an Assignment

Pray with me

"Lord, we come before You with open hearts and minds, asking You to speak to us through Your Word. Help us to see the purpose in our pain in our lives and trust in Your divine plan. Let this message bring encouragement, clarity, and hope. In Jesus' name, Amen."

"Pain” is one of life’s greatest paradoxes. It can be unbearable and confusing, leaving us wondering, 'Why me? Why now?' But as believers, we must come to a pivotal realization: our pain is not random—it has a purpose. It’s not punishment; it’s preparation. Pain is a tool in the hands of a sovereign God, shaping us into who He has called us to be. When we begin to see our pain through the lens of faith, we understand that it’s not meant to destroy us but to develop us.

Pain is something every person will encounter in life. It comes in many forms—loss, hardship, failure—but for those who walk with Christ, pain is never wasted. Pain has an assignment. It is a tool God uses to shape us, grow us, and prepare us for His greater purposes. Hebrews 11:32-40, often called the “Hall of Faith,” is filled with the stories of men and women who experienced both triumph and suffering. These individuals trusted God, and through their pain, they fulfilled their God-given assignments. Today, we’ll explore this passage to uncover how God assigns purpose to our pain.

Exegesis of Hebrews 11:32-40:

Verses 32-35a: Triumph Through Faith

In verses 32-35a, we get a list of faithful individuals—Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. These people conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, and obtained promises. Some saw miraculous victories, like shutting the mouths of lions or surviving flames. Their faith enabled them to overcome tremendous obstacles and fulfill God’s purposes.

Take this nugget with you: Their pain and challenges became pathways for God’s power to be displayed.

Verses 35b-38: Suffering in Faith

The tone shifts in verse 35b, where we learn that others were tortured, mocked, flogged, imprisoned, and even killed. They endured destitution, affliction, and mistreatment, yet their faith remained unshaken.

Their pain was not a sign of failure but of faithful endurance. Their suffering testified to the greatness of God even when deliverance didn’t come immediately.

Verses 39-40: The Ultimate Reward

The passage concludes with a profound truth: “God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” The faithful endured their pain without receiving the full promise because God’s plan encompassed more than their lifetimes. Their suffering was part of a larger redemptive story that included us.

God uses pain to prepare us for eternal rewards that far outweigh the trials we face on earth.

Can I Give You These Three Points:

1. Pain Produces Faithful Perseverance (Hebrews 11:32-34):

God uses pain to refine our faith and teach us perseverance. Ponder about Gideon, who was called to face overwhelming odds with a small army. Though fearful, Gideon trusted God and achieved victory. Samson, despite his failures, was used by God to deliver Israel. David, even though hunted by Saul, was shaped through his pain to become a man after God’s heart.

Gideon’s victory over the Midianites shows how God uses our pain to grow our faith.

When facing pain, trust that God is building your endurance and strengthening your faith for greater assignments.

2. Pain Promotes God’s Glory (Hebrews 11:35-38):

Not every faithful individual in Hebrews 11 saw deliverance. Some were tortured, mocked, and even killed. Yet their pain glorified God by testifying to their unwavering trust in Him. They refused to renounce their faith, showing that God is worthy of trust even in the darkest moments.

The prophets endured ridicule and persecution, yet their lives glorified God as a testament of faithfulness.

When you endure suffering for righteousness, your life becomes a beacon of God’s glory to the world.

3.Pain Prepares Us for Eternal Rewards (Hebrews 11:39-40):

The faithful in Hebrews 11 didn’t see the full promise in their lifetimes because their pain was part of a larger story. God’s ultimate reward is eternal, and our earthly trials prepare us for the glory to come. Let me push it a little more:

The writer of Hebrews makes a deep statement in verses 39-40:

"These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect."

This passage reveals this profound truth: the heroes of faith endured suffering and remained faithful without seeing the fullness of God's promise. Their pain, great and herrendous, was not the final chapter of their story. It was part of a larger narrative—that includes us today.

The Heroes of Faith are Cheering Us On

The heroes of faith—Gideon, Samson, David, and the prophets—stand as witnesses to God’s faithfulness.

Their stories are recorded not just to inspire us but to remind us that they are waiting for us to finish the race. They have run their part, and now they cheer us from the stands of eternity. Imagine Gideon saying, “I doubted too, but God used me!” or David declaring, “Even in my failures, God was faithful!”

Hebrews 12:1 builds on this idea, saying we are “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.” These faithful ones are cheering us on as we press forward toward the prize.

The Power of His Resurrection and the Fellowship of His Suffering

Paul’s words in Philippians 3:10 provide insight into the deeper meaning of their journey and ours:

"That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death."

The heroes of faith intimately understood this truth. They may not have known the risen Christ, but their lives anticipated Him. They endured suffering, not for their own gain, but for the sake of a greater promise that would come through Jesus.

Their suffering aligned them with Christ’s mission, making their pain meaningful and purposeful.

To truly know Christ is to share in both His resurrection power and His suffering. Pain draws us closer to Him because it teaches us dependence, trust, and surrender. Just as the heroes of faith endured for the promise, we endure for the fullness of Christ’s glory revealed in us.

"They Won't Obtain Until We Gain"

Here’s the ultimate truth: the heroes of faith are waiting for us. Their journey is incomplete without ours. God’s plan is collective.

Hebrews 11:40 says that “only together with us would they be made perfect.” What a powerful image! Their faith paved the way, but their reward is tied to ours.

It's a relay race. The first runner gives everything they have, passing the baton to the next runner. The victory is not won until the final runner crosses the finish line. Similarly, the heroes of faith have passed the baton to us. They completed their leg of the race, and now it’s our turn to run with perseverance.

Let me Connect the Dots: Romans 8:17-18 reminds us:

"If we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

Our pain and perseverance contribute to the ultimate unveiling of God’s glory. Together, we will celebrate the victory as one body in Christ.

The Eternal Prize

Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 that we run for a prize that will last forever:

"Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever."

The heroes of faith ran their race with their eyes on the eternal prize. Their pain had an assignment, and so does ours.

When we endure, we join them in the promise of eternal glory. Together, we will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him (James 1:12).

Let me Encourage you!

Run Your Race: The heroes of faith are watching and cheering. Don’t give up now—your pain has a purpose!

Know Christ Fully: Seek to know Him in both the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering. It is in this fellowship that you find the strength to endure.

Finish Strong: The reward is not just for you; it’s for the entire body of Christ. Your endurance helps bring God’s redemptive plan to completion.

A tapestry’s beauty is revealed only when the weaver completes the final thread. From our perspective, the process may seem messy and chaotic, but God sees the full picture. The heroes of faith trusted the Weaver, and so must we.

Your pain is not in vain—it has an assignment. The heroes of faith endured, and so can you. Together, with them, we will inherit the eternal reward, sharing in the glory of Christ forever.

An athlete trains through pain for the prize, God uses our struggles to prepare us for an eternal reward.

Remember this right here family that your current pain is temporary,

but the eternal reward is everlasting. Focus on the hope and joy found in Christ.

A sculptor was once asked why he spent so much time chiseling away at a block of marble. He replied, "I’m not chiseling marble; I’m revealing the angel inside." Likewise, God uses our pain to chisel away what doesn’t belong, revealing the image of Christ within us.

Pastor, It Still Hurts!

Let me hand you some aspirin!

Reflect on how God has used your pain to shape your faith and character.

Trust that Surrendering your suffering to God, trusting that He is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28).

Be a Witness in your testimony of God’s faithfulness by enduring with hope, showing others that pain has a purpose in His kingdom.

Pain is not purposeless—it is purposeful. Like the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, our pain is assigned by God to fulfill His plans and prepare us for eternal glory. Embrace your pain with the confidence that God is using it to accomplish something far greater than you can imagine. Remember, your pain had an assignment. Trust God to complete His work in you.

Let me Close with Prayer:

"Father, thank You for the reminder that our pain has a purpose. Help us to endure with faith, knowing that You are working all things together for good. Strengthen us to trust You in our trials and to glorify You in our suffering. May our lives be a testimony of Your faithfulness and a reflection of Your love. In Jesus' name, Amen."