Pain: Knowing When it is From God

What is Pain?

Pain is anything that causes us displeasure.  Whether it is mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, or financial, it is something that we experience.  The English word pain comes from the Hebrew word ykhav (יכאב), which means to be in pain, be sore, or be sorrowful.  Pain in the greek is pónos (πόνος), which means pain, ache, or soreness.  In my study, I learned that the Bible makes consistent references to pain and does it in consistent ways.

How do we Identify Whether Pain is From God?

The Bible makes it clear that some pain is from God while other pain is from Satan.  In either case, while all pain is not directly from God, all pain is permitted by God (see Isaiah 45:7).  Many people ask why a "loving God" would allow so much pain to happen.  Lamentations 3:40 says, "Let us carefully examine our ways".  One of the big questions to ask is: Did the pain come from our own doing?   I have run through Scripture after Scripture to identify whether pain is from God or Satan.  After reading Scripture and getting help from the Holy Spirit, I have put together a list of questions to help guide you in your understanding of whether pain is from God.

Did I disobey God?  Genesis 3:14 is a lecture by God to the man and Eve, with Him telling them what their consequences were for being disobedient.  I do not think it is a coincidence that the first source of pain in the Bible is from disobedience.  If your pain came from disobeying God's Word, the pain was from God.

Did I ignore God?  Deuteronomy 28:15 says, "If you ignore the Lord your God and are not careful to keep all his commandments and statutes I am giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you in full force".  Ignoring God's Word is just as guilty as disobedience.  This type of pain also comes from God.

Did you defile something that was sanctified by God?  1 Samuel 5 tells the story of how the Philistines stole the ark of the covenant.  Scripture tells us that they felt God's wrath the next day.  Stealing, killing, or destroying anything endorsed by God is demonic and creates grounds for Him to inflict pain.  This type of pain is from God.

Have you encouraged people to be unfaithful to God?  2 Chronicles 21 outlines a letter from Elijah the prophet to a king.  In the letter, God was explaining to the king how he had turned away from his father's leadership and encouraged people to go against God.  As a consequence, God inflicted a stomach disease on him and his family.  This type of pain comes from God.  As obvious as it sounds, it is never a good idea to actively encourage people to go against God

Have you ignored God's confrontation?  2 Chronicles 33 tells us a story about a young king named Manassah who was twelve years old when he started to reign.  After doing evil, God confronted him and his people, but they ignored Him.  2 Chronicles 33:10 tells us that they "paid no attention" (NET).  So God inflicted pain on them.  This type of pain comes from God.

Have you been committed to God and begin experiencing pain randomly?  According to Job 2:5, this type of pain comes from Satan, as an attempt to get us to abandon God or, as Scripture puts it, curse God to His Face.  The enemy wants our mind, and one way to get our minds is to inflict undeserved pain on us so that we question God's love for us.  Undeserved pain does not criticize Who God Is when we understand where the pain comes from and why it came in the first place.

Do you worship idols?  Ezekiel 14:7 contains a warning from God to the people in Israel.  He told them that if a man "erects idols erects his idols in his heart and sets the obstacle leading to his iniquity," God would cut him off.  It is important for us to know that money, cars, education, careers, people, and material things all count as idols.  While they may not be constructed and wood-carved for worship, anything that we turn to other than God to influence our self worth is idolatry.  We have given something else besides God the power to transform our thinking, change our view, or change our motivations.  Pain from this type of behavior comes from God.

Has the Word of God in you been challenged by pain?  Mark 4:15 says, "Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them.  The Word of God is our foundation, our rescue, and our counsel.  It also gives us teachings on how to resist the enemy.  So, part of his strategy is snatch that Word out of us.  It is needless to say that this type of pain is from Satan.  Declare today that God's Word is what grounds you and that the enemy cannot uproot what God has planted in you.

Good News and Encouragement

No how big or small, remember that God sees all of our circumstances, and our pain does not stop what God can do. If you are going into something or going through something right now, remember that we serve a God Who Is bigger than our problems and bigger than our pain.  Also, remember that our pain creates stepping stones for God to do some amazing things.  Job 42:10 tells us that God gave Job a double portion for everything he lost in the midst of his pain.  Remember that God is not just our Portion; He Is our Double Portion, our overflow, and Refuge in times of trouble.  Your pain is not left out of God's Agenda.  Give everything that you are going through to Him and allow Him to use your pain to elevate you. 

By: Minister Micah