“We are . . perplexed, but not in despair . . struck down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8 NKJV.

Beyond the pain, you will find God and the help you need for recovery.

My thoughts and comments today are about “recovery.”

Life can intrude in the harshest of ways. Your pain screams questions: “Why? Where is God? What can I do now?” In those moments, recovery is your need but not your expectation. There is good news, however. Beyond the pain, you will find God and the help you need for recovery.

While driven from Judah by King Saul’s treachery, David experienced the pain of a devastating loss. Read 1 Samuel 30. David and his brave men went to battle; returning to their homes in Ziklag, they were shocked beyond belief to find that a cruel enemy had plundered and burned their homes, taking their wives and children captive. They were devastated, having lost what was precious and irreplaceable. Loss often feels irrevocable. For you, it is; for God, it’s not.

First, they wept. (Vs. 4) Grieving for your loss is normal and a door to healing and recovery; great disappointment and loss are not experienced casually. You will grieve when loss occurs that you don’t anticipate. There are circumstances that “just happen” to one and all. See John 16:33 NKJV. And there are spiritual adversities calculated to devastate and diminish. See John 10:10 NKJV.

Second, they blamed. (Vs. 6) Blame is unprofitable, a waste of time usually misdirected – neither reducing pain, restoring loss, nor supporting recovery. They blamed David and spoke of stoning him. Pain tempts you to blame people, yourself, or God, feeding anger or despair while delaying a better future. Blame isolates you from help and distracts you from hope.   

Third, they found strength. (Vs.6) “David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” When your soul is disheartened, find strength in God. See Psalm 61:1-3 NKJV. Beyond the pain, you will find God; that’s where healing begins. You are neither the first or last to face difficulty. You are in good company. “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-9/15 NKJV. If you face and feel the first of those real life experiences, you can choose to affirm and believe you can be the latter.

Fourth, they sought God. (Vs. 8) “David inquired of the Lord . . ‘Shall I pursue? Shall I overtake them?’” When David sought God’s wisdom, the One who “is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end . . Declaring the end from the beginning,” assured David of victory. See Revelation 1:8/Isaiah 46:10 NKJV. The first step toward restoration is changing your question from, “Why?” to “What do I do now?” Read James 1:2-8 NKJV. My favorite description of wisdom is, “Wisdom is the ability to see your present situation from God’s perspective.” Such wisdom comes only from God. Read Ephesians 3:17-23 NIV.

Fifth, they believed God. God rewards courageous obedience; “Go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you.” 1 Samuel 30:8 NLT. Everything? Yes, everything! There is no loss God cannot restore. See 1 Samuel 30:16-20 NKJV. My Dad taught me a spiritual bottom line: “God will never take anything away from you, nor allow anyone else to do so, except to make room for something better for you.” Is there room for something better in your life right now? In pain and loss, God is faithful to reward your trust, heal your pain, and restore your loss.

My prayer for you today is: look past the pain and find your hope and help in God.