Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. -Psalm 126:5-6 (NLT)
When have you been in a season of suffering? We all experience them; it’s the ebb and flow of life. Whether it’s a diagnosis, a breakup, a job loss, a lack of purpose or simply a delay in an answer to prayer, times of pain cause an ache in our soul.
I recently had a friend who was diagnosed with a tumor next to her brain. Despite the circumstances, she remained firm in the Lord, resting in the peace of His presence. That’s right—resting. She had a peace beyond understanding that radiated from her soul. In the days leading up to her surgery, she stood confident on the truth of the God’s Word.
I imagine she had moments of tears, moments of weakness, moments of crying out to God for a miracle. She’s human, after all. And yet, knowing her, she wiped away the tears, looked to her Father and felt His love wash over her. The Lord’s presence brings peace.
Scriptures give evidence that we will suffer. And they also assure us that God is walking alongside us through every step of the pain. He doesn’t cause suffering but He will use it for good. From tears of suffering comes new growth.
SUFFERING AS A CATALYST TO NEW GROWTH
How could suffering produce new growth? Suffering is never wasted; it helps us help others. When I was in my 20s, I struggled with overexercising through distance running. As a byproduct of moving too much and eating too little, I dwindled to 96 lbs. It wasn’t intentional and yet, I didn’t stop it either. The combination of loneliness, being in a new city, starting a new job, buying a home and all of the other “new” things that come with growing into adulthood, I suffered. It was a season of suffering that lasted over 5 years.
When I think back to those times, I feel the same ache in my soul that I felt in the midst of it. I remember the tears of suffering I shed. And I also remember the closeness I experienced with the Lord. I felt the love of the Father. I stood on His Word and promises for my life. And I knew that season would eventually end; I knew I would experience a harvest.
The tears of suffering were an investment into the ministry I have today—discipling young women through trials and life transitions. It’s in those tender seasons that things can go “really well” or “really not well.” My experience in the “really not well” prepared me to walk alongside and share God’s love with these women. Holy Spirit has given me a learned tongue and grace to do this ministry. It was new growth. And it made the suffering worth it.
And those tears also sowed into the birth of “Enlighten.” If it hadn’t been for that challenging time, I wouldn’t be this passionate about nourishing the whole self—body, soul and Spirit. My pain helped me get to this place of helping others experience the fullness of health as God designed it. Enlighten is evidence of new growth; it made the suffering worth it.
YOUR SUFFERING, GOD’S GARDEN
What does your suffering look like? What are the griefs in your life? Because of the truth of Scripture, you can be confident your suffering will not be wasted. Tears sown today will one day reap a harvest of joy. Can you trust God to use your tears as an investment, planting seeds in His garden to produce new growth in your life?
Keep going. Your pain is not pointless. The Father loves you and He is working through you to bring others into His loving arms.
