If God is Real, Why Does Life

Hurt So Much Sometimes?

April 11, 2010 –  Brian Kluth - bk@kluth.org

1 - Pain and problems can draw you closer to Christ and His power

2 Cor 12:7-10 There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Phil 3:10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings.

John 9:1-3 As [Jesus] went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

2 - Pain and problems can draw you closer to God’s Word

Ps 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.

Ps 119:92 If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.

Ps 139:16 All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Prov 19:3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.

3 - Pain and problems can draw you closer to others

Gal 6:2-3 Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone in need, you are only fooling yourself.

4 - Pain and problems can draw you into ministry to others

2 Cor 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Phil 1:21-22 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.

5 - Pain can draw you into maturing and growing as a person

James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Rom 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

CD’s & cassettes of this sermon to share with others are in the lobby.