A few years ago, I found myself in a situation that was very unexpected. I went to bed the night prior feeling healthy. By that next morning I was hunched over in pain with a fever. I remember praying for God to give me relief and He did, just enough to make it bearable. Though He did not take my pain away too much and I am forever grateful that he didn’t. For that pain is what prompted me to be taken to the emergency room. It was there that I was diagnosed with appendicitis and needed an emergency appendectomy.  We had gone in, just in time. The hospital was able to see me right away, my diagnosis came quickly, I was immediately started with an IV antibiotic and by the evening I was headed home from surgery. The doctor informed us that surgery went well. Although my appendix had just started to rupture, everything was caught just in time and all would be well.

Sometimes friends, God allows pain so he can save us. If it were not for my pain I would not have gone in and I probably wouldn’t be here writing this right now. Friend, although I do not always know what God’s plans are and why He allows for certain things to happen. I do know this; through all that I have ever endured in my life, God has always turned my pain into a purpose. Whether that be to learn something valuable or in this case, save my life.

Hang in there if something hurts my friend. Hang onto God and hang onto prayer. I promise He will carry you through. For God did not send His only son to die for us, to just stop caring for us now. For He loves us more than we can fathom and we must hang onto that in our hard. For sometimes we may question God on why, though we must just trust that there is a purpose. Maybe we will find out, maybe we will not; but we can always hang onto the assurance that He knows exactly what He is doing.

Erin Fitts-Brower

Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Ephesians 3:17-19 NIV

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.