lesson 3: God Gives Purpose Through Pain

One of the most comforting truths in all of Scripture is this: God never wastes our sorrow. Pain is never pointless. Heartbreak is never random. Darkness is never just darkness. God is using the very situation you’re going through to reveal Himself more clearly, shape you more deeply, and prepare you more fully.

Isaiah 45:3 says,

“That thou mayest know that I, the Lord… am the God of Israel.”

In other words, God uses seasons of darkness so that you will come to know Him in ways you never would have known Him before.

Your Pain Has Purpose — Even When You Don’t See It

Life can feel confusing. It can feel unfair. It can feel like everything you’ve walked through has only broken you, drained you, or set you back. But God is using it.

In the sermon, I said:

“It may not look good. It may not taste good. It may not feel good right now… but it all works together for good.”

Romans 8:28 isn’t a cliché — it’s a promise. And it doesn’t say all things are good. It says all things work together for good. That means your pain is being woven into a bigger picture — one you may not see until much later. I’ve questioned God before. I’ve walked through seasons where I didn’t understand what He was doing. But I can look back now and say, “Okay, Lord… I see what You were preparing me for.” And that’s what He’s doing with you.

Pain Prepares You for What’s Next

Sometimes God allows you to walk through darkness because He is preparing you for something bigger, deeper, and more meaningful than you can imagine.

I said it in the sermon like this:

“God is preparing you for something. And though you may not see it now, you’ll look back and say, ‘Okay, I got it.’”

Think about the heroes of Scripture:

• Joseph went through the pit before the palace.

• Moses spent forty years in the desert before leading Israel.

• David was hunted before he was crowned.

• Paul was beaten before he built churches.

• Jesus suffered before He saved the world.

The pattern is clear: Pain often comes before purpose, Darkness often comes before calling, Weeping often comes before wisdom. What you’ve been through may be the very thing God uses to prepare you for the person you’ll help next.

Jesus Understands Your Suffering More Than Anyone

One of the greatest treasures hidden in darkness is discovering just how deeply Jesus understands what you’re going through.

Isaiah 53 calls Him:

“A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”

He knows betrayal, loneliness, abandonment, heartbreak, agony.

On the cross, He cried,
“My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”

If anyone understands darkness — it’s Jesus.

In the sermon I said:

“Don’t you dare tell me that Jesus doesn’t know what you’re going through.”

He does.
He felt it.
He lived it.
He carried it.

And because of that, Hebrews 4:15 says:

“We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities…”

He is touched by what hurts you. Moved by what burdens you. Present in what breaks you. You have a Savior who suffered — so He could walk with you in your suffering.

Your Suffering Becomes a Ministry

One of the greatest purposes God brings out of pain is the ability to minister to others.

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 says we are comforted by God so that we may comfort others with that same comfort.

That means:

Your scars become someone else’s encouragement.
Your story becomes someone else’s hope.
Your tears become someone else’s strength.

In the sermon, I said:

“Lose yourself in the service of somebody else.”

You may not understand how helping others helps you… but it does. And God designed it that way. A growing Christian is a fruit-bearing Christian.
And there is no better soil for fruit than the soil of a heart that has been broken and healed again.

Your Pain Reveals the Glory of God

I love the story of Lazarus. Jesus delayed on purpose. He waited until it was too late… humanly speaking. But He wasn’t late — He was preparing a miracle.

I said in the sermon:

“He said ‘Lazarus, come forth.’ If He had just said ‘come forth,’ everybody in that tomb would have come out.”

That’s the power of God’s voice. And He knows your name just as clearly. Right now, you may feel like you’re wrapped in grave clothes — stuck, trapped, or lifeless. But Jesus is calling you:

“Come forth.”

Not because you’re strong. Not because you’re ready. But because He is calling you to walk toward healing.

You Are Not Disqualified — You Are Being Prepared

Depression does not disqualify you. Darkness does not eliminate your purpose. Pain does not erase your calling.

In the sermon I said:

“Depression doesn’t disqualify you… it may be the very soil where God is planting the deepest work of grace.”

What the enemy meant to break you… God is using to build you. What life tried to destroy… God is redeeming. Your pain has purpose — not because the pain is good, but because your God is sovereign. This lesson is our reminder that darkness is not the end. It is preparation. It is formation. It is transformation. And God is using it for His glory and for the healing of others.