Partnering With God in our Pain

I've always found the phrase "Your pain will be used for purpose!" frustrating.
 

It feels as though all the suffering I’ve endured is simply a means to an end, as if the heart-wrenching experiences I've faced are justified by a greater purpose. I often thought, “If God allows this pain, He must be cruel.” I wanted to find purpose without the pain, thank you very much!
 

What I didn’t realize was that God wasn’t inflicting harm on me — that’s just the reality of our broken world. Instead, He wanted to weep with me, comfort me, and be present through it all. As I gradually felt His peace return to my heart, a natural fire began to rise within me.

All I had endured gave me a laser-like focus on how I wanted to use my gifts.

From the particularities of my pain emerged the particularities of my calling. It wasn’t that God allowed bad things to happen just so He could use me; He was holding my heart and healing me.

Out of that healing came the realization that my gifts could best serve those who have faced similar heartaches. Yes, there is purpose in this, but for me, it transcends mere purpose—it’s a righteous anger that has propelled me from purpose into a direct calling. When you hold your story and the pain you've endured in the presence of God and alongside trusted friends, healing will emerge. It’s in this place that a “Hell no, not on my watch” kind of mantra begins to rise deep within your soul. This fierce determination is forged in fire and begins to illuminate how your story can shape your ministry calling.

No matter where you go, your healed heart will resonate with those who still carry the same burdens you once did, and you'll be able to guide them through their own fires.

It's this kind of partnership with God that makes what you have to offer unique and needed.

In it with you, 

Karrie Garcia
Freedom Coach & Founder of Freedom Movement