Pain, the gospel, and living whole

How would you define living whole?

· Great friends?

· Well liked?

· Money?

· Fun?

· Family that loves you but leaves you alone?

· Inner peace?

How we define living whole reveals what we value. We often make “living whole” the goal we pursue without learning the backstory to why living whole is so elusive in the first place.

Paul Trip says “We do not live our lives based on bare facts of our existence; we live our lives according to our interpretation of those facts.” (Instruments in the Redeemers Hands)

Pain:

Why is there Pain?

Genesis 3:1-19 Mankind sinned. They preferred to be god over trusting God. Pain is a direct result of original sin.

Pain practically happens now through the brokenness of our world. We continue to sin and use many things to protect us from pain and get what we prefer.

We all have a story of pain in our lives

Nothing happens without a reason. Even the existence of pain has a purpose:

John 16:33

2 Cor 1:8-10

Pain is God’s megaphone to a deaf world.

God shows us his faithfulness through the journey of pain in a way we wouldn’t know through easy times.

The Gospel:

1 Cor 15:1-21

2 Cor 5:14-21

Isaiah 53:1-11

The entire Bible is structured around the story of God redeeming, saving, and transforming sinners that have gone astray. As much as we long for all kinds of other things in our lives, our actual most crucial need is to be right with God. Everything else follows after that.

Living Whole:

What’s your story?

Where have you come to doubt God’s storyline?

Wholeness through Relationship with Christ

Romans 5:8

2 Cor 1:8-11

He wants us to trust him completely

Wholeness through Valuing Christ

Phil 3:7-11

Psalm 73

Wholeness in our human relationships

We love because he first loved us. 2 Cor 5:14

We comfort others with the comfort we have received. 2 Cor 1:3-7

Wholeness through perspective

James 1:2-5 Pain has purpose

“You will learn that pain will do for you what even sometimes joy cannot” A.W. Towzer

Wholeness through spiritual disciplines:

Consistent time with God – Bible reading, prayer, and reflection

Consistent time with God’s people – who is your main influence group?

Consistent acts of service – your love for God expressed to others in need.

Read David's Story

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