When God Uses Pain | August 25, 2025

Hebrews 12 tells us not to despise the chastening of the Lord. God disciplines those He loves—not to harm us, but to remove what will hinder us from becoming who He has destined us to be. I’ve just lived this truth in a very real way. Two days ago, I went through a six-hour medical test before upcoming heart surgery. It was painful, uncomfortable, and not something I’d wish on anyone. Yet through it, the doctors discovered a major blockage in one of my arteries that we never knew existed. Without that test, the surgery would have been incomplete. Now, because of the pain, they can repair both the valve and the artery—and I’ll come out stronger. Isn’t that exactly what God does with us? His chastening often feels painful in the moment, but it exposes hidden issues that could one day take us down: bitterness, unforgiveness, self-condemnation, unhealthy loves, or blind spots in our character. Like Solomon, we may think a little disobedience is harmless, but God sees the end from the beginning. The writer of Hebrews reminds us: “No chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” So I’ll ask you today: What is God trying to remove from your heart so you can walk fully in His plan? It may cut deeply. It may press you until you finally cry out, “Lord, what are You saying?” But remember—His goal is always healing, wholeness, and fruitfulness.