06/09/2026
My text response today to a couple of friends facing pain in their family: The Bible teaches that God allows pain to strengthen us somewhat like heat is used to harden knife blades.
“Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”II Corinthians 12:7-10
God strengthened Paul thru the “heat” of suffering…even after Paul prayed three times for it to be removed. His physical weakness developed spiritual strength.
That’s probably the most difficult truth in the Bible and in life in general…especially when we watch others we love go thru pain.
In my life I have grown thru pain and trouble (some that I caused) and years later have grown to accept it as life’s most difficult truth.
Diamonds are made out of what appears to be worthless black carbon. When it’s subjected to thousands of years of heat and intense pressure it becomes incredibly valuable.
Be a diamond.
