Celebrate Recovery Weekly Encouragement 9-27-23

Where is God When it Hurts?

Psalm 34:18 says, "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed."
When we're in pain, whether it's physical, emotional, or spiritual, it's normal to wonder where God is. It's hard to figure out why a loving and all-powerful God would let us go through pain. But we can take heart in the fact that God is close to us, especially when we are in trouble.

In Psalm 34:18, we're told that God is close to those who are sad and saves those whose spirits are crushed. This verse tells us that God isn't far away or uncaring about our pain. Instead, He comes close to us and offers us peace and forgiveness.

Even when we're in pain, we can take comfort in the fact that God sees and knows what we're going through. During his crucifixion, Jesus himself felt a lot of physical and mental pain. He knows how bad our pain is and can feel what we're going through (Hebrews 4:15).

In the Bible, there are stories about people who went through different kinds of pain and suffering but still saw how faithful God was. Job went through a lot of pain, but God restored him in the end (Job 42:10). Joseph's brothers sold him out, and he had a hard life for many years. However, God used Joseph's pain for a better good (Genesis 50:20).

Even if our pain seems too big to handle, God wants us to bring it to Him. When we turn to Him in times of trouble (Matthew 11:28–30), He offers to give us comfort, peace, and strength. Even when we don't know why we're hurting, we can trust that God is working everything out for our good (Romans 8:28).

During hard times, we can take comfort in the fact that God is with us. He is making us into the men and women that He wants us to be by putting us through hard times. May we hold on to His promises, lean into His love, and find hope in the salvation He offers. This Sunday we our going to look into this a little deeper and outline 5 ways that God can use our pain for good! Until then the following prayer can start are week off in the right direction. 

Father, I come to you when I'm hurting and in pain. I have to say that sometimes it's hard for me to understand why I have to go through this pain. But I know you love me and that you are close. Help me find peace and power in your presence and find comfort in your presence. Remind me that everything you do is for my benefit. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.


Brian Willems CADC 1

We are going to be talking about daily inventory!
Here is an excerpt from this weeks lesson:
How did I show love to others? Did I act in an unloving way toward anyone?
Did others see in me the joy of having a personal relationship with the Lord? If not, why not?
How was my serenity, my peace? Did anything happen that caused me to lose it? What was my part in it?

We've all been hurt by other people, we've hurt ourselves, and we've hurt others. And as a result, every single one of us ends up with some sort of hurt, hang-up, or habit. But the question we all face is, Where do we go from here?
Life's Healing Choices offers freedom from our hurts, hang-ups, and habits through eight healing choices that promise true happiness and life transformation. Using the Beatitudes of Jesus as a foundation, Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church and John Baker, who is also a pastor at Saddleback, developed the eight choices shared in this video / workbook series.