Don’t Lose Yourself in Pain
Introduction –––– Suffering is hard, and sometimes we lose ourselves in it.
Suffering and pain have a way of overshadowing essential parts of being human. We have a tendency to withdraw, isolate and lose our self-worth during seasons of suffering.
Job is an ancient story about a successful man who lost everything.
His resumé was unmatched:
He was a person of integrity.
He loved God and was comparable to the Billy Graham of his day.
He was a successful business man similar to the Steve Jobs of his day.
He loved his family deeply.
Job was pretty much the best human on earth during his time.
A series of tragic events occurred in his life, and he lost everything. He lost his children, his business, his employees, his wealth, his health and the support of his wife. This was a tragic and painful chapter in Job’s life. It is no surprise that Job was deeply depressed and overwhelmed by his pain. You could say, after reading his story, that he lost himself in his pain.
Many of us, at some point in our life, have felt like Job –––– overwhelmed and lost in our pain. It is quite normal to feel this way.
A good question to ask ourselves in the midst of our own story of suffering is –––– How do I remain a fully alive human in the midst of what I am experiencing?
I have noticed that people tend to lose two essential parts of being human during seasons of suffering:
Their Person –––– their identity.
Their Purpose –––– their contribution to this world.
I know that life is hard. I know that living life and being a fully present human is difficult during seasons of suffering.
And yet, I also know from experience that life is still worth living even when it is hard.
Don’t Lose Your –––– Person in Your Pain
Your identity is an essential part of being human. You were created in the Image of God. That means God created you to reflect Him with your unique personality, heart, talents, and experiences. You have a divine imprint upon your life. You are a human, which means you have identity and worth.
Don’t lose that.
Who you are is important.
Suffering has a way of darkening our identity and worth.
I want to encourage you to begin to rediscover who you were created to be.
Simply ask yourself these questions:
Who am I?
What makes me unique?
Journal your answers. Begin to rediscover your identity and value as a human made in the Image of God.
Don’t Lose your –––– Purpose in Your Pain
Your purpose is also an essential part of being human. You were designed to have purpose. Purpose is wired into your soul. You cannot thrive or be a fully alive human without it. Purpose is one of the core reasons for human existence. It gives meaning to life.
Don’t lose it.
What you do in this world is important. Your unique contribution to the peoples lives is important.
Suffering has a way of obscuring our purpose as a human.
Honestly, if you feel like you lost your purpose, you may feel overwhelmed trying to figure out what your purpose is. Here is a little equation that will help your understand your purpose:
Who you are + What your are good at + Your unique experiences + Collectively meeting human needs and contributing to the flourishing of humans in this world = Your Purpose.
I encourage you to begin to rediscover your purpose. Think about who you are, what you are good at, you’re unique experiences and how you can contribute to the flourishing of humans in this world. Journal your answers. You were created for this. And the world needs your contribution.
Today is a new day –––– Choose to reorient yourself with your identity and purpose. This will allow you to experience anew what it means to be human, even in the midst of your pain.
Believing for Better Days Ahead.
Much Love,
Wesley, Founder + Speaker