But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  (2 Cor 12:9)

There are three possible ways to pray when you are hurting.

First,

You can pray that God will give you an escape from the pain.
That’s normal – in fact, that’s how drug stores stay in business!

Second,

You can pray for God to give you the strength to endure the pain.

And that, too, is a natural response. If we can’t escape the pain, we can pray to endure the pain.

The third,

We can pray is to ask God to enlist the pain.

– in our lives for our good and His glory.

If we pray to escape our pain, then we see pain as our enemy.

If we pray to endure our pain, then pain is seen as a master.

But, if we pray to enlist our pain, we see it as our servant.

We are able to find God’s grace to glory in our infirmities, that the power of God may be manifest in our lives.

Are you hurting over something that has happened in your life?

Ask God to give you strength to choose to enlist that pain for your good and His glory.

Then-

You will be exceedingly joyful like Paul who wrote the above and below verses.

I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.  (2 Cor 7:4)

(PR)