Have you ever been through such a difficult situation in your life, a crisis, a deep wound or painful experience that you begged God for help or intervention?
Have you ever wondered why you had to go through the entire tough experience and why God had allowed it to happen to you, His precious child?
Or have you ever, while still in the midst of recovering from the whole trauma, find someone in the exact same situation placed right smack in your path? Have you shook your head, stared up into heaven, wondering if God had done all these on purpose? Did He intentionally allow you to go through the exact same pain just so that you could understand this person, share his/her pain, give hope, and lead them a step closer to God?
I had two very interesting conversations with a couple of younger church members weeks ago, and in the midst of our sharing, we discovered some striking similarities. They were lamenting of some painful experience that they had been going through, and wondered what was God trying to teach them from all these? Was He trying to mould their character? Perhaps. Was He trying to work something in their life? Perhaps. But before they got their answers, God brought people with very very identical experiences into their paths as if for them to minister to.
I challenged these young ones to consider that perhaps, just perhaps, God had allowed them to go through the tough circumstances and painful experiences, so that they would be better able to minister hope and give grace. How many times have we told a grieving one, "I understand how you feel", but not truly meaning what we said?
Having gone through the same pain, an identical hurt and the similar difficulty, one can be the most emphatic and understanding person. More so, having experienced God's grace and hope, we can share peace, speak grace and impart hope to the other person.
Some 3 years ago, I had the opportunity to be chosen to go to the Presbyterian Youth Triennium in US for a month. It was the biggest Presbyterian camp whereby over 5,000 US Presbyterian youth would attend, and at least 100 delegates from all over the world would participate.
As i was chatting with a Korean delegate - in her broken English, she tearfully shared with me her fears - for her father had just left the family. She being the eldest was not sure how she would be able to study, and still help to provide for her family. She doubted God's presence. I could cry with her, simply because I knew how she felt. For i too had experienced that same pain just a couple of years ago!
I told her my story. I kept in touch with her a few months after i returned. Last i heard God provided her a scholarship to study in Uni.
Deep inside, i felt that the pain i had been through was purposeful. If it helped this one girl to go through life with a little more hope. If it helped her live with a little more faith. If it helped her trust God a little bit more. It was worth it. The pain was purposeful.
