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Forged: Turning Pain into Great Gain inspires us to turn our suffering and loss into purposeful and powerful results. We all suffer. We all experience loss, disappointment, and agony. History's greatest men and women allowed pain to grow them and show them their path in life. Fire forges us. Fire molds us. Steel is strengthened in the fire. So are we. Pain and loss can breed new purpose, passions, and build new platforms from which God can use us in ways we never imagined. Pain may provide a new direction for our life that we never dreamed was possible. No one likes pain, but never discount what God may be doing in your life through rejection, disappointment, and anguish. Pain and loss are often the instruments that lead many people to discover their true and God-given calling. We can all transform our pain into something purposeful, positive, and powerful. Our darkest moments can turn into a great light for others to follow if we choose to find the gain from our pain.
Addiction is by design and not disease. We were all created to be addicted. Our problem is we become addicted to the toxic and corrupt things of this world and not the things our Designer created us to be addicted to. Years of corrupt information fed to us by the world causes our brains to form negative addictive pathways that drive us back to the same negative habit patterns over and over again. These patterns make it hard for us to overcome our struggles. God's Word provides us new information. Better information. Truths that help us form better ways of thinking and new addictions that bring success and not failure.
Jonah was a Prophet called by God to do great things. But Jonah was also a rebel. Jonah could not see beyond his own selfishness and hatred for a group of people called the Ninevites. God wanted Jonah to carry a message of grace, mercy, and repentance to people who desperately needed it. What Jonah quickly discovered was his own rebellion and selfishness needed to be confronted first. Jonah had to learn something about God's grace and mercy for himself. Jonah had to overcome his own rebellion and disobedience. Jonah had to see his own great need for God. Jonah tried to run from the mission and calling God had for him, only to discover that the price for rebellion and disobedience is high. Mocking God comes with a high price tag with very little return. God redirected Jonah to Nineveh to confront a cruel and dangerous city. Jonah eventually delivered God's message to Nineveh. Nineveh repented of her sin and rebellion. Despite the great work of God in the lives of the Ninevites through Jonah, Jonah's hatred for these people still ran deep. Jonah quickly returned to his bitterness and rebellion toward Nineveh and toward God. Jonah relapsed. Jonah found it easier to live the life of a rebel. Jonah found it easier to return to failure. Jonah teaches us a much needed lesson about the grace, mercy, and forgiveness of God that should lead us to a life of victory and significance. Instead, for Jonah, it led him back to failure and defeat. Jonah relapsed because Jonah chose to focus on the wrong things. You and I can avoid returning to our old, failed ways. We can avoid returning to rebellion, hatred, bitterness, anger, and failure. We can move beyond these strong feelings and emotions when we truly repent and give our lives to God and let Him direct our paths in all circumstances every single day.