March 24, 2023

Daily Devotion:

"That Thing Called Pain"

2 Corinthians 11:24–25

Five times I received fromthe Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I wasstoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in thedeep.

Can you imagine being beaten"times without number"? I cannot. Here is the awful reality ofphysical abuse. Few people will ever know such extreme pain. But if you thinkthe man was pretty much alone in it all, get hold of a copy of Fox's Book ofMartyrs or read it online. There is no way to get around it; God's servantsoften become scapegoats.

This is true emotionally morefrequently than physically. Humanity’s twisted depravity, for some reason,likes to express itself in this way. Take the prophet Daniel, for example.Faithful, efficient, honest, dedicated to the maximum, the man served otherswith a pure heart. But it backfired on him. According to the sixth chapter ofthe book that bears his name, the very people he worked with turned on him.They set out to prove he lacked integrity. They left no stone unturned.

Can you imagine how thathurt? You are the object of investigation. You hear whisperings about yourcharacter. Stories swirl around, calling into question your words, youractions. Every move you make is viewed with suspicion. And yet there is not ashred of truth to it. You have been a model of authenticity, you have devotedyourself to the dual role of helping others and honoring the Lord . . . andthis is the thanks you get.

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