Are you bitter or better because of your pain? Are you willing to trust the Lord and allow Him to help you recycle your pain by helping others in similar situations?

It is often the moments that seem the most painful and the most overwhelming that become the defining moments in our life. It produces understanding and compassion in our hearts. When you have gone through the valley you understand and you know what it feels like to be in a certain situation. When you encounter somebody else that is going through that same valley you aren’t moved to help because you feel sorry for that person, but rather because you know what it feels like to be in that situation.

You are moved by compassion to help them. You remember what it felt like when you were there and you had no one to help you through your pain. You chose to recycle your pain by helping others in similar situations. It is in those moments of helping others that you begin to heal and you begin to become whole.

Luke 10:30-37 “Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Sometimes our greatest moments and opportunities come at the most inconvenient times. The priest and the temple assistant missed an opportunity to serve God while on their way to serve God.

But the Samaritan who was a despised man stopped. Why? Because; he knew what it was like for that Jewish man. He knew what it felt like to be rejected and left alone. He chose to recycle his pain by helping this Jewish man out and taking care of him.

We must be careful that we don’t get so caught up in getting from one bible study or church service to another that we that we completely miss the opportunity to help somebody that really needs us. Church should never be our destination, but rather our filling station.

God is always greater than any pain that you will ever face and He isn’t some coach on the sidelines telling you that will get through this pain, He is on the field with you lifting you up and helping you get through it. He will heal you from that pain and bring healing through you by recycling your pain.

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