PAIN

The Soul Anchor [Hebrews 6:19] - August 1, 2025

I confess that I am a longstanding fan of the “Rocky” movie series. My sister took me to see the original Rocky for my sixteenth birthday when it came out in 1976 and I was hooked. My friends and I walked around the halls of our High School yelling “Yo Adrian!” in between classes. I have seen all of the “Rocky” movies but not all of the “Creed” movies. Of all of the moments and lines of the “Rocky” franchise one of the most memorable for me is in Rocky 3 when intense and really mean boxer Clubber Lang, played by Mr. T, is training for an upcoming fight against Rocky when a reporter asks for his prediction about the fight. With great intensity, Clubber looks directly into the camera and says, “Pain!” Yeah, well that is really the point of a fight, right?

Sadly, I have a prediction for your life - Pain! Why? Is it because I don’t like you? No, it’s because we all experience pain in life. Jesus said in this world we will have tribulation. That’s not a promise we like to quote a lot. We prefer to go with promises like, “My God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory.” The truth is that the promise of pain is every bit as real as the promise of good things in our lives. Honestly if our number one goal in life is to avoid pain, we probably won’t be doing much worthwhile with our life.

I heard an interesting thought on a talk radio program once. The host said that the opioid addiction crisis in our country can be traced directly to our desire to avoid pain. There was a time when you had surgery or injury and you knew it was going to hurt, and you sucked it up until it stopped hurting. Now, because we don’t ever want to feel any pain, we’ve created a bunch of highly addictive drugs and now by the time the pain goes away we have what is often a greater problem. So what do we do with pain?

First, don’t let it sidetrack you from serving God. I Peter 4:19 says,

“So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”

Second, allow God to work His purpose through the pain. Romans 5:3-5 says,

“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

Finally, look forward to the day when pain will no longer be part of our story for that is also God’s plan for us. Romans 8:18 says,

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

God bless,

Pastor Frank