When was the last time you had a mishap in the kitchen and were able to walk away without a lasting mark? It’s hard and we can feel frustrated by the stains left behind. The wonderful thing is that in our lives, our Heavenly Father will wash us clean and wipe away the marks of sin, leaving us without stain!
God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13
Here we have another quote from C.S. Lewis that has so much meaning packed into its words. A quote that is in some ways terrifying but also comforting at the same time.
God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain.
C.S. Lewis
We start with the knowledge that God foresees everything. Every step we are going to take, every hill we are going to climb, every struggle we are going to have, God already knows. He has seen it all and will prepare us for them.
That in itself is amazing. God not only knows who we are but also what tribulations we will have and what we will need to overcome them.
It’s like he is the master suitcase packer. He can take charge of packing everything for our trip. No need to worry if we’ve forgotten a particular type of shoes or pair of pants, God has it covered. He has everything planned and ready to go for us.
However, he doesn’t promise that it will be an easy trip. He can help prepare us but there still will be pain along the way. He will ensure we have the hiking boots for the long walk but we still have to climb the mountain.
And there will be turbulence and rough waters. There will be tears of joy and tears of pain. There will be times when we have to rely solely on God’s strength to take another step.
And yet through all this pain there will be no stain.
Without Stain
Let’s pause on this last bit here.
When was the last time you had an accident, a fall in the mud or pasta sauce on your pants that didn’t leave a stain? Especially while on a trip when you don’t have your washing machine and stain removers handy. It seems to be inevitable that you will end up with some sort of unmovable stain.
God promises that while we are on our trip with Him, we may have accidents, spills and pain, but that we will walk away without stain.
Pain, but no stain. Let that sink in. You may be struck down but you will not be marked as unworthy in God’s eyes.
Isn’t that wonderful? We will be washed clean.
And that is worth all the hardship and tribulation. Knowing that things will be rough but we have a God who will arm us to go through it and then ensure we do not come out of it stained.
Sometimes we wonder why we have to endure the hardships, and what purpose they serve. This also is clear in this quote. Because God will arm us for them.
The tribulation is what forces us to trust God, to lean on him and be strengthened by him. Anything that brings us closer to God is a good thing. If we walked an easy road our whole lives we never would need God and therefore never get to know his power.
So at the end of our journey, we can look back at the armour God supplied, the closeness we felt to him and how he washed away the dirt of our transgressions along the way. We will be left without stain because of His goodness and grace.
Give thanks to God for the times of pain. He knows how hard they are and will arm you for them. He will pack the appropriate tools for the journey so you can walk in the faith that he is taking care of you. Climb the tallest mountain and walk in the darkest valley, you will not be stained by your pain because God is with you.
Thank you God for the pain without stain!
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