“God has a plan for purpose and beauty in your life –
not despite your past, but because of it.”
Tracie Miles in Your Life Still Counts
Many times in my life I have wondered… What purpose can come out of the pain of the past? How can that pain bring God glory?
Everyone has some kind of pain, whether physical or emotional, visible or invisible. And sometimes the hurts can drag us down to despair. Sometimes we can’t understand why it had to happen. Sometimes we can’t see how any good can come out of it.
But God created each of us with a unique purpose in life that no one else can fill. And no matter what has happened to us, God has a plan to turn it into good in our lives. Our pain has a purpose. Even for beauty. Not negating our past but funneling it through His grace towards His glory.
In this past year God is leading me to blogs where women share their pain. They don’t negate their past but believe we need to be real, to be the women God has created us and molded us to be. And these women’s vulnerabilities have led me to believe more and more that pain has purpose. I know these broken stories have had purpose for me. Sometimes their deep thoughts ignite deep places in my own heart and I feel less alone. And their raw stories lead me to the priceless story of redemption in Jesus.
The deeper the pain and the darker the valleys, the more redemption shines in the lives of these broken people, because they have chosen to allow God to use their pain for a purpose.
Yes, our pain can bring God glory when we allow it to fuel our faith to spread the news of how Jesus can rescue, heal, and free us. God can bring beauty out of the ashes of brokenness.
How is it possible? Because of the unfathomable depths to which Jesus sunk into brokenness. No one has ever suffered as much as He has. His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane even squeezed great drops of bloody sweat from His body. His agony over our sins and what He would suffer because of them. He chose to dive into the depths of pain for a purpose – to glorify His Father and to save and redeem us from our own sins and from the shame others’ sins have forced upon us.
We can’t even humanly imagine the depths of the humiliation and pain He went through on that cross of crucifixion for us. He loves us so deeply that He carried it all for us. He satisfied the price that must be paid to redeem us. And we can now have hope of healing, freedom, and a better future. And through His sacrifice of love, it is possible for us to live with a purpose to glorify God.
So if you are disheartened and can’t see how God can use your pain for His purpose, ask yourself: If ______ had never happened to me, how would I be different today? Would I have the empathy and compassion for others in the same situations? Would God have taught me as deep of lessons to mold me more into His likeness? Would I care as much about hurting souls if I had never been hurt myself? Cannot the same God who came down to suffer and die in my place use my pain for His purposes?
Yes, your pain can be funneled through the grace and love of Jesus to produce powerful purpose and beauty in your life. Yes, beauty can arise out of the ashes of your brokenness. Not despite your past, but because of it.
The following is a Mercy Ministries Video.
I love how it shows several examples of how women healed,
and their miseries turned into ministries.
This can happen for any of us.
“I’m not meant to just stay quiet
I’m meant to be a lion
I’ll roar beyond a song
With every moment that I’ve got.”
May the Lord give us power
to use past pain to glorify Him
and to help others in need!
Linking up with:
Holley – Coffee For Your Heart
Jennifer – Tell His Story
Kelly – Cheerleaders of Faith
Bonnie – Faith Barista’s Beloved Brews
Freed to Fly 
“The deeper the pain and the darker the valleys, the more redemption shines in the lives of these broken people, because they have chosen to allow God to use their pain for a purpose.” This is a truth-filled, beautiful post 🙂 I look forward to reading more from you! God bless 🙂 #raralinkup
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Thank you, Ruth. It’s so beautiful that God can turn our ashes into beauty in our lives that can flow out in compassion towards others. Thank you for following. 🙂 God bless you, too! Hugs!
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Hugs! And Amen to that – God is so good in all things and He works out good in all our circumstances! Let’s praise Him! 🙂
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Not despite your past but because of it… that’s a no-regret life. I put Tracie’s book on my wish list earlier today. (Tiptoeing over from Jennifer’s.)
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Hi Sandra. Yes, sometimes it’s a tough process of healing to get to that point where we have no regrets, but God will never let us go. He will finish the work He has begun. Tracie’s book is a good one to put on your wish list. I’m reading it slowly as there is much to process. Thank you for “tiptoeing” here. 🙂 Blessings to you! Hugs!
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Trudy,
Yes…not despite our pain but because of it when it is, as you so beautifully wrote, funneled through Jesus’ love and grace…Jesus suffered so much for us…it is hard to take in the depth of that kind of love…Thank you for encouraging others with your words and story, my friend 🙂
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Hi Dolly. Yes, the “depth of that kind of love” is hard to take in. Such priceless, unconditional love. I’m happy this encouraged you to reflect more on Jesus’ love. May He lead you ever deeper into His love for you! Hugs!
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It’s so easy for people to forget all the pain Jesus suffered. I completely agree with everything you shared here, Trudy. Beauty really and truly does rise from our ashes. We are living proof of that, my friend :). Thanks for you encouraging words and video!
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Hi Candace. Thank you for encouraging me that “we” are living proof. It’s not hard for me to say you are, but I so easily exclude myself. Aren’t the testimonies in the video amazing? They really encourage me, too. May more and more beauty arise from the ashes of your brokenness! Hugs!
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Thanks for sharing He Knows My Name. Shannon and her mom are dear friends of ours. We are so proud of her and thankful for the blessings she received at Mercy Ministries.
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Hi Deb. Thanks for sharing this. That makes it even more personal that you know one of these brave women. And to think, Shannon is now studying social work. God’s care over His own is amazing. I plan to include Mercy Ministries as a new link on my Hope Harbor page towards the end of the month. It sounds like such a healing ministry. Blessings to you! Hugs to you, Shannon and her mom!
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Hi Trudi-
Your posts always speak to my heart and bless me. Thank you for all your lovely words. Thankful for the ministry God has given you. It has meant a lot to me- 🙂
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Hi Susie. I’m so glad they speak to your heart. You bless me with your comment and also with your heartfelt poems. God bless you and keep you in His tender loving care! Hugs!
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Love this post, especially this quote…”He loves us so deeply that He carried it all for us. He satisfied the price that must be paid to redeem us.” Such a wonderful reminder today…many blessings to you!
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Thank you, Beth. I’m glad the reminder of His deep redeeming love encouraged you today. May His love fill your heart with hope and peace! Hugs!
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As much as I despise pain, I know what you write is true. Pain can sometimes be the biggest blessing (in the long run anyway). I would have missed out on many things in life if I spent my days avoiding pain. I’m so grateful for a God who redeems our pain and gives it purpose.
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Me, too, Lisa. Pain is never easy, but how can we ever thank God enough for redeeming it and giving it purpose? It’s just so incomprehensible that He stoops so low to save us, isn’t it? May God give you strength through the pain and renewed purpose day by day! Hugs!
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Trudy,
It is hard to believe that God can use and redeem any of our experiences for a purpose in our lives, but he does in sometimes incredible ways. Thanks for reminding me of this today!
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Hi Valerie. Yes, it sure is hard to believe. Such amazing grace! May He work incredible ways in our lives! Hugs!
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Amen Trudy! 🙂
I have found myself asking those very questions. How would I be different had my sweet friend not taken her life? that’s just it, I don’t think it would be much different.
I’m seeing that her passing has caused me to grow in strength and character. It’s given me opportunities to minister and talk to others that might have entertained those very thoughts. And although it’s not been an easy road, it’s friends and kindreds like you that I knew were praying and interceding that have been such a blessing to me. 🙂
(((HUGS))) to you my friend! XO
Krista
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Thank you, Krista. The tears are springing to my eyes to think that I could have been a blessing to you. You have encouraged my heart. The death of your friend hit you so hard, and I do ache for you and pray for you. And it’s beautiful that God is redeeming your pain and using it to strengthen your character and give you a special purpose towards others who have those same thoughts your friend had. May Jesus wrap you in His loving arms and give you strength and peace for each day! Hugs back to you, my friend!
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“Yes, beauty can arise out of the ashes of your brokenness. Not despite your past, but because of it.” Such beautiful truth and hope filled words! Thank you for this wonderfully encouraging post, Trudy. You are living proof of that new birthing and redemption. Blessed to know you and read your words, dear friend. Hugs! xox 🙂
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I’m so glad you were encouraged, Joy. And thank you for encouraging me with your kind words. You are living proof as well, and I am blessed to know you, too! May Jesus hold you close and give you rest in body and spirit! Hugs back at you, my friend!
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One word: Thanks!
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You are so welcome, Jedidja. Yes! Your pain has a purpose! May God bless you and keep you! Hugs!
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Trudy, yes, this is so true. Sometimes, we don’t even realize we have the pain there until we read another authentic story that uncovers a deep nugget of shame or pain. I cheer on your words about uncovering our stories and embracing those of others. You are such a valuable link to the #RaRalinkup; thank you for always joining. Much love.
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So true, Kelly. And when those deep nuggets of shame or pain are uncovered, we can finally put a finger on what makes us feel so sad. Jesus has used the stories of others to unearth and more deeply heal the pains within me. As always, thank you for your cheers! May God keep you and guide you continually. Love to you, too! Hugs!
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I love those questions! We seem to look for why things happen, but I think you are right in thinking about what would be different if those hard things hadn’t happened.
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Hi Sarah. Yes, they’re good questions to ask ourselves though it can be so hard to get to that point. Sometimes all we can ask it why it happened instead of seeing further to what benefit we gained from it. It’s amazing how God can turn bad into good! May all your pain be turned to purpose! Hugs!
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