Playing Hurt! (Ministry during Pain and Sadness)

In watching a game, it was mentioned by the announcer that one of the key players played hurt. He had an injury but continued to play thorough the pain for the good of his team and the game.

I have met pastors, Christian workers, and missionaries who do the same. They serve, work, and help others, but with pain and sadness. They have hurt in their lives: sickness, inabilities, a child that is not walking with the Lord, an unloving parent, a relative who couldn’t care less about their life or ministry. Even though they have friends and people that pray for and encourage them, health to get through the day, enough money to buy food, they still have sadness, they still have that little hurt.

We need to realize that this hurt is the very thing that God uses to bring sanctification in our lives to trust in God and not in man. Hurt is simply a feeling, an emotion, and one of the basic tenets of Scripture is that we walk in faith trusting that God will care, lead, guide, and minister to us in our need.

  

A great verse to remember during sad and hurtful times is, For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins. You made men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water, yet You brought us out into a place of abundance (Psalm 66:10-12).

  

So, dear brother and sister, continue to minister to others in your hurt in Jesus’ Name. It is the very thing that God uses in your life to draw you closer to Him and to bring glory to God!