I Guess Beauty Does Come From Pain

Emotions are a funny thing. I've never really been a super emotional girl, I figure, who needs that hassle? Not my style. If something upsets me, you will rarely know it. I love to be happy. I also hate uncomfortable situations, I would rather be hurt than bring something up to make someone else uncomfortable or hurt. And I always want the hurt to go away...preferably ASAP. However, I'm not so sure that's really the best course of action. There was a sermon at Calvary not too long ago, taught be Doug Souder I believe, regarding suffering. He talked about how often our first reaction is to seek the end to the hard or hurt times, but then we end up missing the lesson we needed to learn in the first place. Pain hurts...obviously. It's not fun. But its probably one of the most effective teaching tools because when we are hurting we don't rely on ourselves because we simply can't, pain shows us our weaknesses. When we are uncomfortable, we are much more apt to change. Its human nature. Often we are content to stay where we are until it becomes to uncomfortable and we have to change something. One thing i've had to learn lately is that some things just take time to heal. They can't be fixed overnight, or by talking, or by changing the subject. They need to settle, and the healing process simply can't be rushed. But the other side of that process is unbelievably great. Once the pain ends, the healing can be completed. God is so faithful not to leave us where we are. I've heard it said "God loves us exactly as we are, but he loves us to much to leave us that way" That in itself is comforting. The God of the universe is loving us and teaching us through every trial we face, so he can shape us into his image. And isn't that our goal?