Confronting Our Pain

The last time I saw my friend Scott was at my wedding reception. He was one of my closest friends, and he drove down to Tampa from Philly to be one of my groomsmen. Less than two months later I received a phone call informing me that he was murdered. Before hearing this devastating news, things in my life were going great. I was a newlywed who just started doing ministry in sunny Florida.

Nehemiah’s life was great before he received some life-changing news too. He was living in the palace as the royal cupbearer. He had access to the finest food and wines in the kingdom. Then he got the phone call. Hanani told him about the condition of his people who went back to Jerusalem. It was bad! It rocked him to his core, and his heart broke with compassion: “When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.” (Nehemiah 1:4)

Nehemiah was part of the Jewish population that had been displaced after the Babylonians conquered them. He was disconnected from what was happening back in Jerusalem as he was in Babylon. He could have tried to shrug off this feeling of compassion, but God wouldn’t let him. He was rebuilt. When you are truly rebuilt, God regularly takes you out of your comfort zone to help others rebuild. I was disconnected from what was happening in Philly as I hadn’t lived there in a few years. But I knew I needed to get uncomfortable, go back to attend my friend’s funeral, and confront my pain.

I came back home with a new passion for ministry in Florida. Fast forward some years and our church was being called to move into one of the most pain-filled neighborhoods to rebuild a Toys R’ Us into a church. Businesses and churches were fleeing this area to go to the safer suburbs. But, we felt God calling us to go to the heart of the inner city and confront the pain of the streets and rebuild. It wasn’t easy, but we’ve watched our creator heal so many lives.

Living in a sin-sick world, we are destined to experience some brokenness, pain, and failure. Rebuilding will and must be part of the maintenance of our soul.

Rebuilding Blocks For Today:

1. Identify some pain that you haven’t confronted. What are some next steps to start rebuilding in that area?
2. What are some sources of pain in your community? How can God use you to rebuild others and help them heal?