Does God trust you with Pain?

I know this question may sound odd, but think about it. Does God trust you with pain?

We go through many things in life that are difficult and that are hard to get through, and there is nothing we can do about that. However, we can do something about our response to those times. Do we get angry? Do we turn and run? Do we just give up and not care anymore?

Although I do not believe that God causes pain I think that He uses things that happen to teach us, grow us, and even take us to new levels in our relationship with Him.

I heard a good friend of mine say one time, "I want God to trust me with pain." And I started thinking about that and that is a tough statement.

When I say can God trust you with pain what I mean is, when things happen, or when life goes wrong, can God trust that we will respond in the right way? Or every time something happens is it up in the air how you will respond?

Now, there are many wrong ways and one best way to respond to pain, and I want to talk a little about that one best way: worship.

Think about it, when is it most difficult to worship? It's when you don't feel like it; when you don't feel the emotions; when your mind is on other thins; when you are hurting. In these times it is hard to worship, because all we are thinking about is our situation and ourselves.

But if we can learn to worship even in the most difficult times, then we will most definitely grow in God and grow in worship. If we can step out and say, "No matter what I'm going through and no matter what my circumstances are, I will worship because I love you God," then we are beginning to see what worship really is about. See, I believe that if you can learn to do that, not only does that worship mean more to God, but it will mean more to you, because there is no doubt that it is not sincere. So I challenge you today, the next time you are in pain will you respond in a way that will make God trust you with pain?