Don’t Waste The Pain
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Scripture
Scripture
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Introduction
Introduction
Pain is one of life’s greatest teachers…
It can teach you patience.
It can teach you endurance.
It can teach you to pray like you’ve never prayed before.
But pain is also one of life’s greatest thieves…
It can steal your joy.
It can steal your vision.
It can even try to steal your identity.
And here’s what I felt the Holy Ghost is telling us here today
If you’ve been through it… don’t waste it.
Don’t waste the tears.
Don’t waste the sleepless nights.
Don’t waste the questions and the heartbreak.
If God let you live through it, He intends to use it.
The storm may have knocked you down — but it didn’t knock you out.
The pain might have slowed you — but it didn’t stop you.
So tonight, I came to tell somebody in this room — Don’t Waste the Pain.”
A Year in Review
A Year in Review
This year has presented many challenges to us here at HHF
In this year alone we have experienced losses that can not be explained
In this year we have seen the inside of a Hospital room more than we care to ever spend in a lifetime
Sickness, ailment, infirmities, loss, economic instability, confusion, chaos
if you were to summarize all of these into one word, that word would be pain
A couple of months ago now we had a lesson on the two types of storm in life
Some that God rebukes that were brought on by them enemy, and another is the storms brought by God designed to develop us
once again regardless of the origination of the storms in our life both bring with them pain
IN Acts 27 we read the story of Paul following his appeal to the Governer to have his case heard in Italy because we understand that he was a Roman citizen and that was his right
So he sets out on this journey and while it begins like any other seaborn journey it soons turns into “A Three Hour Tour” and in case your wondering yes that was a Gilligans island reference
But we see as this trip begins that he was given liberty we think of this journey or at least I commonly did because my selective reading when I was younger was simply whatever scripture pastor was preaching from.
And many times when we use this story we jump right to the shipwreck part or perhaps the couple of verses leading up to it
So in my mind I always pictured Paul still bound in fetters and chains but by all appearances he though he was a prisoner he was not bound
As a matter of fact it would appear that Luke and a man by the name of Aristcharus were accompanying Paul on this journey
Now perhaps again they were going as character witnesses or simply to report
Never the less they were on this journey with Paul
As the journey begins once again he has liberty, the Bible says that when they touched down at Sidon that Julius allowed Paul to go and meet with friends and freshen up
But when they went to get back on the ship they could see storms on the horizon
Until the found a ship with a Centurion who was not apparently as hospitable to Paul because Paul warned of this if the had left Crete
But now they find themselves in a storm
I can remember being a young Christian and thinking that if I am good enough I wont have storms in my life
I can remember thinking that if I prayed hard enough I would have to face life’s troubles
That somehow being a Christian would exempt me from ever facing situations
Paul was once a man by the name of Saul who held the coats of men as they stone and persecuted christians
The Church was not receptive of him because of his past
And he no longer belong there because of his conversion
So we find a man who begins to turn his world upside down for God and one would think that he would have this perfect life
Never a worry never a grief
But I realize now that storms are just part of the journey
Some storms are small, what clothes am I going to where to work today, where did I lay my keys down, the dog ate my homework
ANd others storms will be like erochodon that Paul faced
But I am encouraged by this story because Paul tells them first thing you should have listened to me back then and we could have avoided this storm
I wasnt just trying to get some free time out of my cell I saw what was on the way
But still you did not listen, and now you have done everything you know to do to save the ship you undergird it, you dropped anchors, you have lightened the ship trying to get above the problem but now here we are and you are thinking about giving up
But you listen to me when I tell you if we abandon this ship we will certainly die
And they cut off the ropes to the life boats and stayed with the ship and their lives were spared
And as encouraging as that story is and I could preach it 20 ways from Sunday how you should stay with the ship
I want you to understand today that they still had to endure the storm
I would imagine that after that night there were those that every time the lightning cracked they jumped a little bit
I would imagine there were those that when they saw dark clouds they ran for cover
But I want you to hear this preacher here this morning when I tell you that when Paul told them to stay on the ship he was telling them You have made it through the storm and through the rain And now your instinct tells you to jump out and verture the deep
But I am telling you tonight, dont waste the pain
If you give up now you will surely die, but if you stay with the ship
If you grow from this experience, if you mature, if you gain something from it then it will be worth it all
I guess I am saying that storms are going to come in this life
You have no say in that
But whatever you do, don’t waste the pain
Don’t waste the sorrow, don’t waste the wounds, don’t waste the loss
Allow it to groom you, allow it to build you, allow it to develop you
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, And gather thee from the west;
Our Text today was found in 2 Cor but I want to read to you what Paul said in Chapter 11
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
Paul said I have been through the flood and through the storm, but through it all I concern is not for myself it is for the the welfare of the church
He understood there were things that he could not and would not control but he didn’t allow them to destroy him
He didn’t allow them to detour him
He didn’t allow them to bring him down
He said I’m still standing
I’m not going to waste the pain
I wont allow Bitterness to creep in
Naomi- Bitter
Naomi- Bitter
19 So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
21 I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
Naomi had Elimleech to Moab during the famine
When the journey started she had a husband and two sons
her two sons took wives out of the land of Moab
One day her husband dies, but she still has her sons and daughter in laws
Then her two sons die and now all she is left with is Ruth and Orpah
She tried to send them home but they follow a little ways
We know the story Orpah eventually goes back but RUth says where you go I go Where you lodge I lodge your people my people your God my God
And by the time we get to verse 21 she returns to Bethlehem and she tells the world to call her Marah
I want you to understand today that the name Naomi means Pleasant
SHe had lived her life and even in the famine left still being pleasent
But when she came back from Moab she said dont call me plesant call me bitter
She let the pain try to rename her
She let the pain take control
Dear heart you will have every oppotunity in this world to allow the pain to win
As a matter of fact there will be times where nobody would blame you if you did
But remember the words of this preacher today pain can have two results
It will either build you or it will destroy you
DOn’t waste the pain
You went through the storm
Or perhaps youre still in the storm, but whatever you do don’t waste the pain
Dont give up
DOnt give in
Don’t quit
Because the God of all creation is still on your side
The next chapter we see Ruth gleaning in the field
By all estimations Naomi was to old to out gathering from the field but there was always designed in the plan of God a portion for the broken hearted
a little extra for the improverished
And the owner of the field Boaz comes out to watch over the harvest and notices this woman who looks different than the rest
He notices there is something different about her even from a distance
I believe it’s because Ruth had been through some things
She understood that life wasn’tjust candy canes and rose
Boaz asks who is that out there in the field
Notice this in verse Ruth 2:6
6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:
You may call yourself bitter — but Heaven still calls you by the name God Gave you
The storm, the famine, the loss and the pain didnt destroy Naomi, and it didn’t destroy you
But now you have to make up in your mind how you allow it to affect you
The Storm didn’t destroy you
The Storm didn’t destroy you
Scripture:
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: But the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
Your Survival is proof of God’s hand on your life.
“The fact that you’re here tonight is evidence that the devil failed.”
Illustration: Hurricane winds vs. aftermath — the wind that tried to break you actually pushed you closer to safety.
The Danger after the Storm
The Danger after the Storm
Scripture:
1 Kings 19:1–4; Numbers 21:4–5
4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
expound
1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
Floodwaters come after the storm — invisible dangers in the aftermath.
Elijah — from calling fire on Mount Carmel to hiding under a juniper tree.
Israel — from deliverance to complaining in the wilderness.
“If the enemy can’t kill you in the storm, he’ll try to drown you in the aftermath.”
Don’t Waste the Pain
Don’t Waste the Pain
Scripture:
Romans 8:28;
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Genesis 50:20;
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Grow from it – Let trials build character, prayer life, and spiritual authority.
Be propelled by it – Use the push of adversity to go further in God.
Be motivated by it – Let the memory of the fight fuel the mission.
“If the devil couldn’t take you out with the pain, then make him regret giving it to you.”
Closing
Closing
“The storm tried to rename you. The pain tried to redefine you. But God preserved you. Don’t waste the pain — let it become the proof of your calling.”
Pain is proof of purpose — don’t bury it, build with it!”
“If the devil couldn’t take you out in the storm, don’t let him take you out in the calm!”
“This pain is not my prison — it’s my platform.”
Lower your tone here, slow the pacing, and make eye contact around the room.
I don’t know all the storms you’ve been through this year…
but I know this — you survived it for a reason.
You didn’t just make it through on your own strength.
God kept you when you didn’t even have the strength to keep yourself.
But here’s the real question tonight… now that you’ve survived it, what will you do with it?
Will you let the pain turn you bitter like Naomi tried to? Or will you let it turn you into a testimony like Naomi became?
Will you let it push you further from God? Or will you let it drive you deeper into His presence?
The storm was hard. The loss was real. The tears were heavy.
But if you give it to Jesus tonight, He will not waste a single drop of what you’ve been through.
He will take the pain the devil meant to use to destroy you, and turn it into the power you need to walk into your next season.
Some of you have been through battles that left you limping.
That’s alright — Jacob limped into his destiny with a new name and a fresh blessing.
Some of you have wounds still healing — that’s alright, because Thomas touched the wounds of Jesus and found his faith again.\
Don’t walk out of this service still carrying pain you could have placed in the hands of the Healer.
Don’t let this trial just be something you survived — let it be something that shapes you, strengthens you, and sends you forward.
Right now, I want you to bring your storm, your pain, your questions, your loss — and lay it down at this altar.
Not to forget it, but to let God transform it.
Come on… step out from where you are. This is your moment. This is your turning point. This is where the storm ends and the rebuilding begins.”
