This week's devotion is entitled:

Don't Let the Glory Get to You: Pain Part 2

But to keep me from getting puffed up, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from getting proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, "My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know it is all for Christ's good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
~2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NLT)

Right now, I am doing a series on why we have pain and suffering. Last week I did one called "Produce Yourself Some Glory," about facing your problems head on and dealing with the small problems that we have here on earth so that you can have a greater reward in Heaven. This week I want to talk about another reason we have pain: to keep all that glory from going to our heads.

Paul made sure to emphasize, especially in 2 Corinthians, that it's bad to boast. He says in these verses that suffering is good for keeping our boastfulness and pride in check.

The quote from Jesus says: "My power works best in your weakness." So now, we have another good reason that Christians (and humans in general) suffer; God's power works best in our weakness. Most, if not all, Christians were saved at the lowest points of their lives. Some may have had lower points than others, but it is generally true. My youth pastor used to say that Jesus died for you at your lowest point. If you never reached your lowest point, how would you be saved? If your friends were never sad and lonely, when would your best opportunity to comfort them with God's Word and God's love be?

As you go through your week, I want you to think about a time in your life that something good came out of pain and suffering.