Devotional/Prayer for Mike 4/25 By Gloria Barotta (Aunt Glo)

God Never Wastes Pain

2 Corinthians 1:3 – 5
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. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

Last night we received the call. Mike’s body has been found. We have no details, no answers to our many questions. The pain in our hearts is crushing—almost overwhelming. Maybe you have experienced such pain. Maybe experiencing that pain has helped you become more compassionate toward others. Or maybe it has made you bitter (I hope not!).

Our passage today tells us that suffering is part of life. We live in a fallen world. But for those of us who walk with Christ, suffering refines us and shapes us like clay into the likeness of Christ. When we suffer, God comforts us. And we comfort others as Christ comforts us. In Matthew 5:4 Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

Many of you who have walked with our family during this time have experienced great loss and have received compassion and comfort from God. And because you have received this comfort and compassion, you have freely given comfort and compassion to Mike’s family. That is a gift from God to us. God has used the pain you have felt in your life to minister to our family. Many of you have shared your stories of losing parents and close family members at a young age and how you reacted to that loss. Your pain wasn’t in vain.

It is hard for us to see it now, but the pain Lisa and Gracie and all of us are feeling now will not be in vain, either. As the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. And we will comfort others. God never wastes pain. He uses it for our good and His Glory. It never seems like it at the time, and we may never see the good that came from this pain this side of heaven. “And we know all things work for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:38)

Before we pray, I want to thank you for standing with us. Life is messy. Our sinful selfish nature is to run from other people’s messy lives. But that’s not what God calls us to do. He calls us to get into the muck with the each other. Life is bound to get messier for our family. Will you continue to pray for Lisa and Gracie and all of us in the coming weeks as we try to put our lives back together?

“Father, I first want to praise and thank you for being a God of compassion and comfort. You weep when we weep, you mourn when we mourn. Help us to be people of compassion. Help us to comfort others. Guard our hearts from bitterness and resentment. Help us to see this situation through your eyes. Protect our hearts from the evil one. Give Lisa and Gracie the strength and courage they need to face the new reality of their lives. I thank you for your people who have stood with us in prayer. I pray your blessings on them. Father, in the coming weeks we will be so dependent on your grace. Pour out your Spirit on us, Lord. We thank you for Jesus. We pray that Mike’s trust was in Him and that Mike lives with Jesus in heaven. We look forward to the day when you will welcome us into your Kingdom and we will be united with our family and friends who have gone before us! And until then, give us the grace to live the abundant life you promise us in your Word through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, amen.”