Change Your Relationship With Pain - Herbert Cooper

It's about more people encountering the love of God. It's about more people being healed. It's about more people being set free. It's about more marriages being restored. It's about more people being discipled. It's about more people being set free. It's about more people being saved from their sin and on their way to heaven. And today you can look around this room and there's a diverse church. Black people, brown people, white people, young people, old people worshiping together because with God all things are possible. And it always has been and it always will be about more changed lives. Welcome to People's Church. Come on will you stand to your feet. Let's lift up the name of Jesus today. Come on. Did He heal you? Yes. Did He free you? Yes. Did He save your soul? Yes. Did He make you whole? Yes. Did He wash you? Yes. Transform you? Yes. Did He redeem you? Yes. Did He cleanse you?

Yes. Did He set you free? Yes. Give you victory. Yes. Did He die for you? Yes. On Calvary? Yes. Did He give you peace? Yes. Did He give you hope? Yes. Did He fill you with? Yes. The Holy Ghost? Yes. Will you praise Him? Yes. Will you worship Him? Yes. Will you lift Him high? Yes. Will you throw your mind? Yes. Will you lift the sound? Yes. Will you make it loud? Yes. Will you count the songs of mine?

Yes. Shout it out! I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief. I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody. I raise a hallelujah. ♪ Oh, heaven calls to fight for me ♪ ♪ I'm gonna sing in the middle of the storm ♪ ♪ Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar ♪ ♪ Up from the ashes, hope will arise ♪ ♪ Death is defeated, the king is alive, amen ♪ Come on, get those hands up. ♪ I raise a hallelujah with everything inside of me ♪ ♪ With everything inside of me ♪ ♪ I raise a hallelujah ♪ ♪ I will watch the darkness flee ♪ ♪ I raise a hallelujah in the middle of the mystery ♪ ♪ I raise a hallelujah, fear you lost your hold on me ♪ ♪ I'm gonna sing in the middle of the storm ♪ ♪ Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar ♪ ♪ Up from the ashes, hope will arise ♪ ♪ Death is defeated, the king is alive, amen ♪ Keep the light, praise to God. Let's sing it one more time. Come on, sing. ♪ Sing a little louder, sing a little louder ♪ ♪ Sing a little louder, sing a little louder ♪ ♪ Sing a little louder, sing a little louder ♪ ♪ Sing a little louder, sing a little louder ♪ ♪ Sing a little louder in the presence of my enemies ♪ ♪ Sing a little louder, oh, louder than the unbelief ♪

♪ Sing a little louder, my weapon is a melody ♪ ♪ Sing a little louder, oh, and the ghosts will fight for me ♪ ♪ Sing a little louder, in the presence of my enemies ♪ ♪ Sing a little louder, oh, louder than the unbelief ♪ ♪ Sing a little louder, my weapon is a melody ♪ ♪ Sing a little louder, and the ghosts will fight for me ♪ ♪ Sing a little louder, I'm gonna sing ♪ ♪ In the middle of the storm, louder and louder ♪ ♪ You're gonna hear my praises roar ♪ ♪ Up from the ashes, hope will arise ♪ ♪ Death is defeated, the King is alive ♪ ♪ I'm gonna sing in the middle of the storm ♪ ♪ Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar ♪ ♪ Up from the ashes, hope will arise ♪ ♪ Death is defeated, the King is alive ♪ ♪ I'm gonna sing in the middle of the storm ♪ ♪ Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar ♪ ♪ Up from the ashes, hope will arise ♪ ♪ Death is defeated, the King is alive ♪ ♪ I'm gonna sing in the middle of the storm ♪ ♪ The Lord is my shepherd and He is everything I need ♪ ♪ So I will not worry, I will not fear the enemy ♪ ♪ He said that He loves me, He said that He's with me ♪ ♪ Even though I walk through the valley of shadow and death ♪ ♪ Still I know He has good plans ♪ ♪ He has good plans for me ♪ ♪ So I will take heart in deserts and gardens ♪ ♪ He has good plans, He has good plans for me ♪ ♪ He has good plans for me ♪ ♪ If I know my Father, I know my Father has good plans ♪

♪ Oh, you have good plans ♪ ♪ The Lord is my Savior, so why should I doubt my victory? ♪ ♪ Why would I question the rod and the staff that comforts me? ♪ ♪ He quiets the waters, He quiets the storm inside of me ♪ ♪ So what could be better than walking with Him when I'm weak? ♪ ♪ He has good plans, He has good plans for me ♪ ♪ So I will take heart in deserts and gardens ♪ ♪ He has good plans, He has good plans for me ♪ ♪ If I know my Father, I know my Father has good plans ♪ ♪ He has good plans for me ♪ ♪ For me, so I will take heart in deserts and gardens ♪ ♪ He has good plans, He has good plans for me ♪ ♪ If I know my Father, I know my Father has good plans ♪ ♪ He has good plans, He has good plans for me ♪ ♪ Oh, you have good plans, oh, we trust in you, we trust in you, Jesus, oh, yeah ♪ ♪ Oh, we trust in you, we trust in you, Jesus, oh, yeah ♪ ♪ Surely, your goodness and mercy will follow after me ♪ ♪ So be well, God find me, I'll be dwelling in the house of God ♪ ♪ Surely, your goodness and mercy will follow after me ♪ ♪ So be well, God find me, I'll be dwelling in the house of God ♪ ♪ Surely, your goodness and mercy will follow after me ♪ ♪ So be well, God find me, I'll be dwelling in the house of God ♪ ♪ Surely, your goodness and mercy will follow after me ♪ ♪ So be well, God find me, I'll be dwelling in the house of God ♪ ♪ He has good plans, He has good plans for me ♪ ♪ So I will take heart in deserts and on high ♪ ♪ He has good plans, He has good plans for me ♪ ♪ If I know my Father, I know my Father, yeah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah Jesus, oh we bless your name God ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah Jesus, oh we bless your name God ♪

♪ We thank you for the plans you have for our life ♪ ♪ You're so worthy, you're so holy ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm gonna sing till my heart starts changing ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm gonna worship till I mean every word ♪ ♪ Because the way I feel and the fear I'm facing ♪ ♪ Doesn't change who you are or what you deserve ♪ ♪ I give you my worship, I give you my praise, yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, you still deserve it ♪ ♪ You're worthy, you're worthy ♪ ♪ You're worthy of my song ♪ ♪ I'll pour out your praises in blessing and breaking ♪ ♪ You're worthy, you're worthy ♪ ♪ You're worthy of my song, yes ♪ ♪ Yes, oh, you're worthy of my song, Jesus, yes ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm gonna live like my king is risen ♪ ♪ Gonna preach to my soul that you've already won ♪ ♪ And even though I can't see it ♪ ♪ I'm gonna keep believing that every promise you make ♪ ♪ Is as good as done ♪ ♪ I give you my worship, you still deserve it ♪ ♪ You're worthy, you're worthy ♪ ♪ You're worthy of my song, I'll pour out your praises ♪ ♪ Yes, in blessing and breaking you're worthy, you're worthy ♪ ♪ You're worthy of my song, you're worthy, you're worthy ♪ ♪ Jesus, you're worthy of my song, you're worthy, you're worthy ♪ ♪ Jesus, you're worthy of my song, you're worthy, you're worthy ♪ ♪ You're worthy, Jesus, you're worthy of my song, you're worthy, you're worthy ♪ ♪ When I sat by that hospital bed, you were worthy ♪ ♪ And she could barely lift her head, you were worthy ♪ ♪ And after all those tears were shed, you were worthy ♪

♪ I'll never stop singing your praise, I'll never stop singing your praise ♪ ♪ And in the blessing and the pain, you are worthy ♪ ♪ Whether you say yes or no way, you are worthy ♪ ♪ You are worthy, and through it all I choose to say, you are worthy ♪ ♪ I'll never stop singing your praise, I'll never stop singing your praise ♪ ♪ Oh, when I finally see your face, I'll cry worthy ♪ ♪ And when you wipe these tears away, I'll cry worthy ♪ ♪ And above every other name, you are worthy ♪ ♪ I'll never stop singing your praise, I'll never stop singing your praise ♪ ♪ I'll never stop singing your praise, I'll never stop singing your praise ♪ ♪ I'll never stop singing your praise, I'll never stop singing your praise ♪ ♪ I give you my worship, you still deserve it ♪ ♪ You're worthy, you're worthy, you're worthy of my song ♪ ♪ I'll pour out your praises, in blessing and praises, you're worthy, you're worthy ♪ ♪ I give you my worship, you still deserve it ♪ ♪ You're worthy, you're worthy, you're worthy of my song ♪ ♪ I'll pour out your praises, in blessing and praises, you're worthy, you're worthy ♪ ♪ You're worthy, you're worthy, you're worthy of it all ♪ ♪ You're worthy of it all ♪ ♪ For from you are all things, and to you are all things, you deserve the glory ♪ ♪ Come on church, we lift it up and say, you're worthy of it all, yes you are ♪ ♪ You're worthy of it all ♪ ♪ For from You are all things ♪ ♪ And to You are all things ♪ ♪ You deserve the glory ♪ ♪ You're worthy of it all ♪ ♪ You're worthy of it all ♪ ♪ For from You are all things ♪ ♪ And to You are all things ♪ ♪ You deserve the glory ♪

♪ You deserve the glory ♪ ♪ Oh, we worship You, Jesus ♪ Lord, You are worthy of it all. We give You praise, we give You honor, we give You glory, we thank You that You're worthy of it all, no matter what we're going through in life, no matter what's happening in the world, no matter the weather. God, You are worthy of it all. I pray that You meet every need that's represented here. God, that You would touch, You would heal, You would set free, You would provide, You would do only what You can do, and we give You the praise for it. In Jesus' name we pray, amen and amen. Aren't you glad that God is worthy of it all? Well, I know it is cold in Oklahoma, in Indianapolis, and maybe the part of the country or world that you're joining us from, it's lovely weather. It's not so lovely here, but God is so good and so worthy of it all. And I just welcome everybody, every single location, every campus, welcome to People's Church Online. The snow could not stop us. We are still gathering in our homes and lifting up the name of Jesus. And welcome to all of our first-time guests. And as we just prepare to give our tithes and our offerings today, I wanna share a scripture with you

that I've been sharing throughout the series. I'm gonna share it with you again as I preach today. It's in 1 Peter chapter two and verse number two. It says like newborn babies crave pure spiritual milk so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. 2026 is the year we are going to grow. You ought to just write the word grow in the chat line right now. Come on, just fill the chat line up with grow, grow, grow. I want you to grow in every area of your life in 2026. I want you to grow in prayer, in fasting, in worship, in Bible reading, in faith. I want you to grow in just closer to Jesus and intimacy. I want you to grow in serving people and discipling people and loving people. I want you to grow in the area of generosity. One of the ways we grow up in our salvation is by growing in generosity. And let me encourage you to grow this year. 2026, let it be the year you grow in generosity. You are going to grow to be more like Jesus when you grow in generosity. Can I tell you, God is a giver. And the more generous we become, the more we're living like our heavenly father. Let me pray over you right now as you give to the Lord. Father, I just thank you for this incredible church family. And I thank you that you're an incredible God. And Father, it really is our heart's desire

to grow in every area of our life. And we don't want to overlook the important area of generosity. So Lord, I pray that you would put it in our hearts today, that it would be a goal of each of ours to grow in generosity in 2026. Father, I thank you today as people are giving and tithing and setting up reoccurring giving. Lord, I pray that you would bless your people. And Father, I thank you that you would bless our church to see many, many more change lives because of the generosity of so many people. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. Well, we started a series two weeks ago, and we've been talking about how it's God's will for us to grow. And again, I want us to just say this together, wherever you are in the living room, the bedroom, wherever you are, let's say the word of the year together. Okay, PeopleSearch family? The word of the year is, it's grow, it's grow, it's grow. You can go ahead and put in the chat lot again. The only way to get from where you are to where you want to be is you have to grow. Let's look at that verse again in first Peter chapter two and verse number two. Like newborn babies crave, I sure hope that you crave the word of God, that you crave pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up in your salvation. We have to grow up in our salvation. And last week I taught you that a massive reason people fail to grow is because they make excuses. People are always making excuses so they never go from where they currently are to where God wants them to be. And today, I want to teach you one of the primary tools God uses to help us to grow.

You know, when I was a kid growing up in Wewoka, Oklahoma, there were sayings I did not like as a kid. And I surely did not understand those sayings until I got a little bit older. Like when you hear parents would say, this is going to hurt me more than it's going to hurt you. I'm like, what you talking about? Or this is, this is for your own good. Like I didn't understand that when, when I hear, when I hear people say things like, one day you'll thank, you'll thank me. And I'm like, I'm not, I'm not sure. I remember my parents saying, boy, money don't grow on trees. And I was like, yes, it does. Just write one of them checks. I mean, them checks seem like they paid for everything when I was a kid. I remember hearing my parents say, I'm not trying to control you. I'm trying to protect you. I'm like going to bed at 8.30 PM as a 13 year old. That felt like a lot of control to me. I remember hearing, I'm doing this because I love you. I thought, well, love me less. Who knows what I'm talking about? Like I did, I didn't understand, I didn't understand what they were talking about. You know, Shelby Johnson has been a part of the People's Church family since day one. Him and Sharon, we love them so much. And this year, Shelby Johnson celebrates his 20 year anniversary of being on staff at People's Church along with Josh Brown, two amazing pastors on our staff. And Shelby would tell me this when I was in my 20s and 30s pastoring People's Church, when I was making fun of him for having an injury or aches and pains, because Shelby's quite a bit older than me. And I would make fun of Shelby and Shelby would say, just keep living.

Just keep living. I didn't understand what Shelby was talking about in my 20s and 30s. But now that I've been living a little longer, now that I'm 50, he was right. I wake up in the morning and I pulled a hamstring. My shoulder hurts. Come on somebody, testify online. My back is hurt. My hip is hurt. I'm serious about this. I'm like, what in the world, was I fighting myself while I was sleeping? It's amazing. I understand just as time has went by. Just keep on living makes a whole lot more sense to me. And today, here's what I want to do. I want to give you a saying that's no fun to hear. It also can be hard to understand. It doesn't really always make sense, but it's the truth about life. If you embrace this saying and the teaching I'm going to give you today, it has the power. Don't miss this. It has the power to change your perspective, your life, your family, your future, your relationship with God. Okay. Are you ready? Come on family. You ready? Here it is. It's not going to be fun to hear. Here it goes. Pain never stops. I know some of you are going through some pain.

Some of you are going through marriage pain or children pain. going through relationship pain, you're going through leadership pain, career pain, church pain, job pain, and I've come with an encouraging word for you today. Here it goes. Pain never ends. That's real encouraging, Pastor. I'm gonna help you today. Pain never ends. Our key verse and verses we're gonna look at today is in James chapter number one. Verse number two says this, consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. In life, we face trials of many kinds. Anybody ever feel like me? Like whenever it just seems like, you know, every week I got a new trial. Come on, sometimes it feels like every day I got a new problem, I got a new issue. Come on, anybody like me, sometimes it feels like multiple times a day. There are so many kinds of problems in life that those problems seem to just lead to so much pain. There's just so much pain in life. Life is filled with problems and pain, problems and pain, problems and pain, problems and pain. And when we read the Bible, we see how God's people constantly faced problems and pain.

Scripture is filled with problem after problem and pain after pain. I think about Noah, he faced the pain of rejection. People mocked and ridiculed him for building a boat. Abraham had the pain of waiting until he was 99 years old for his wife to finally get pregnant. Sarah, his wife, had the pain of a barren womb. Hagar had the pain of rejection and abuse from Sarah. Esau had the pain of betrayal as he lost his birthright. He lost his blessing as the oldest child through his own brother's deception. Moses had the pain of the burden of leadership as he dealt with constant complaining and criticism and rebellion from the Israelites. Naomi had the pain of a broken and bitter heart as her husband and both of her sons died. Elijah had the pain of depression as he struggled with his mental and emotional health. Nehemiah had the pain of opposition. While rebuilding the wall, he faced opposers, haters, threats. Job had the pain of unbelievable suffering as he lost his health, his wealth, and his children. Peter had the pain of failure as he denied Jesus three times. Paul had the pain of constant hardships as he just was judged by others. He was shipwrecked. He faced prison. He faced beatings.

He faced floggings and hunger. Jesus had the pain of paying the ultimate sacrifice as he was crucified on the cross for the salvation of the world. And listen, hey, family, I could give you biblical character after biblical character who faced problem after problem and pain after pain. Scripture is filled with problems and pain. And sometimes I feel like one of my top three jobs as a pastor is dealing with problems and pain, problems and pain of people. There's so many problems. There's so much pain. Can I tell you, James was right when he said trials of many kinds. And throughout my life, there have been so many problems. I faced so many painful moments in life. The pain of sexual abuse. I faced the pain of growing up in a broken and abusive home. The pain of my dad telling me I would never do anything with my life. The pain of being lied on. The pain of being betrayed by people. You know, the pain as a pastor and somebody who's in the public eye, the pain of people making up stories about me. The pain I endure by taking the high road

when it would feel much better to sling mud. and get even with people, painful. The pain of being misunderstood, that's a lot of what happens in my life, being misunderstood, just taking the high road, just honoring God and letting Him fight the battles. The pain of watching people in our church family lose their faith, lose their health, or the death of a loved one. The pain, this is so painful, of watching people I've poured my life into for years, to see them drift away from God and wreck their lives. The pain that I've dealt with personally when my marriage was going through a bad season, or the pain of watching one of my children struggle. Pain never stops. The day we stop bleeding is the day we stop breathing. So what in the world do we do as Christians? Since pain is just a part of what we deal with in life, what do we do? Point number two, point number two, pain and the right perspective. It's huge, pain and the right perspective. James teaches us one of the most powerful principles when it comes to problems and pain. Here's the principle. A painful life and a joyful life can coexist. James chapter one and verse two, consider it pure joy. Are you kidding me? Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,

when you face trials of many kinds. It's possible to have problems and pure joy at the same time. You can have pain and joy at the same time. I meet a lot of Christians who are losing their joy because they're facing the painful problems of life. Their perspective is, I cannot have joy if people are talking bad about me. I cannot have joy if people leave my life. I cannot have joy if my dream is not happening fast enough. I cannot have joy if my money is tight. I cannot have joy if my family is struggling. I cannot have joy if I'm dealing with a sickness in my body or in my family's body. But James says that does not have to be our perspective. James says we don't have to be a victim of our problems and our pain because we are victorious even when we're facing problems and pain. Hey family, what's happening around you does not have to dictate what's happening inside of you. You can have joy in the middle of the pain. Come on, the world didn't give it and the world can't take it away. Come on, people didn't give it and people can't take it away. Money didn't give it and money didn't take it away. I'm about to preach myself happy right now. I'm just telling you church, you can have pain and problems and joy at the same time. One of the most joyful people I know is Pastor Scotty Gibbons.

He's our lead pastor here at People's Church and he also just helps me with a lot of the teaching and preaching here at the church. And some of you are not aware of this. He has had four or five back surgeries. He literally lives with a broken back and has lived this way for years. He's in constant pain, struggles with migraines and I watch him lead and preach in pain. I watch him lead as he parents his six children. How many of you know you have problems when you just have one child? If you have six of them, you are guaranteed to have a problem every other day. But he leads with such joy. He's a joy to work with. He's a joy to talk to. He's a joy to be around. He lives out this verse. A painful life and a joyful life can coexist. The right. Perspective on pain is to understand you can have pain and still have joy I'm talking to somebody tears are welling up in your eyes as you're listening to me talk right now You need to hear me. It's the truth of the Word of God. You can't have pain in the middle You can have joy in the middle of your pain. You can't have joy in the middle of Your Problems, let me give you another right Perspective on pain and that is pain is a test James chapter 1 and verse 3 says because you know that the testing of your faith the testing of your faith

problems and pain are a test Some of you will remember watching television from 1978 through 1996 and the television station would be interrupted and say this is a test This station is conducting a test of the emergency broadcast system This is only a test then you would hear this noise Then after the noise was over it would say this is a test of the emergency broadcast System if this had been an emergency this station would have told you where to tune in for news and official Information this concludes this test of the emergency broadcast system You know I did a little research on why they Used to do those tests back in the day and I found out they had to ensure the system was functional and reliable for national level Emergencies such as natural disasters or attacks on the nation So they would have regular tests and this allowed authorities to check the system's operational readiness to identify Technical problems and to confirm that the government can effectively alert the entire country just in case it was necessary and God Allows tests in our life to check our readiness He uses tests to reveal problems inside of us That would keep us from our destiny and God wants us to reach our destiny fulfill our potential So what does God do God? allows tests So we can change so we can grow so we can mature God uses pain as his gym and Testing as our trainer. He wants to grow us He wants to mature us

Your problem is not just a problem It's a test and every test has a question waiting to be answered when we were in school some of you are Still in school the test came in the form of a question if we answered the question correctly We could get promoted from sixth grade to seventh grade if we answered the question Incorrectly we got held back They weren't trying to be mean to us. No, no. No, it was for our benefit We need it to grow Every test has a question that reveals Where we are Life is a series of tests to reveal where we are got I test ear test driving test personality test ACT SAT test IQ test all aimed at answering questions about where we are in life and God Gives us tests, but God doesn't test us to fail us He tests us to reveal to us where we are your problem Your pain is a test Revealing to you where you are and where you need to grow. Hey family Question I Got I gotta I gotta pose a question today How are you doing on the test? God is allowing in your life When things don't go your way How's your attitude? Positive or negative your attitude is a test that reveals where you are How do you respond to pressure? It's a test.

How are you responding to challenging situations and conversations? It's a test. Can people count on you to do what you say you're going to do? It's a test. Do you follow through on what's asked of you or do you make excuses? It's a test. When life is hard, do you take ownership of your life or do you play the blame game? It's a test. How do you respond when people hurt you, betray you, lie on you, reject you? It's a test. Are you approaching difficult days with faith or with doubt? It's a test. How are you handling God's delays in your life? Do you trust God when you have delays or do you get in the flesh? Trials test whether you trust God's character or just his calendar. How are you handling working with a difficult boss? How are you handling working with a difficult coworker? It's a test. Your problem is not just a problem. It's a test. Your pain is not just pain. It's a test.

God is trying to reveal something to you so you can grow. Correction today prevents collapse tomorrow. We must allow pain to expose where we need to grow. I tell myself frequently, if you were in church last week, you heard me say this, I like to talk to myself like this. Herbert Lee Cooper Jr., remember what you're going through is a test. That person is a test. That situation is a test. Herbert Lee Cooper Jr., that trial is a test. That pain is a test. This is a test. This is only a test of the emergency God broadcast system. This is only a test. Herbert, respond with the right answer. Respond correctly. Grow from this. Why? Because pain always produces something in you. Number four. James chapter one, verse three, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance, produces 100% of the time, problems and pain produce something in us. The question is what are you allowing pain

to produce inside of you? When we respond incorrectly to pain and problems, it produces impatience, frustration, anger, bitterness, a victim mentality, sinful behavior, worry, fretting, complaining. But when we respond correctly to pain, it produces, scripture says, perseverance. It produces this steadfastness, this faithfulness on the inside of us. We must be patient and allow pain to produce something good inside of us. If you rush what God is refining in you, you will forfeit what God is forming for you. So when you face pain, don't ask, why me? Ask, what is God building in me? God is trying to produce something good inside of you. Over the years, I've learned to change my relationship with pain. I used to despise painful seasons. I'm serious. I hated painful seasons. I hated problems. I despised it. But over the years, I've learned that this is a test. That's all it is. And if I respond correctly, pain is my friend. Why is it my friend? Because it produces something good inside of me. When I feel squeezed, it's not the devil defeating me, it's God trying to develop me.

And some of you, this is a word from the Lord for your life, you need to change your relationship with pain. You keep asking God to do something big through you. And God says, I will do something big through you if you first let me do something big in you. You have to change your relationship with pain. When God allows heat in your life, is not to burn you down, but to burn away what's holding you back. The pain you experience right now, you're experiencing all this pain, it's for one purpose. God is wanting to produce something good in you, but you must allow pain to develop you. Don't be like so many people and waste painful seasons. Hey, change your relationship with pain. Stop cursing it, stop hating it, stop running from it. Don't get bitter at it, get better. Because the pain has a purpose. It'll grow you. Number five, pain is the vehicle that takes you to your next level. There is a next level for your life. Pain is the vehicle. So some of you are not experiencing what God has next for your life, because you keep failing the test. Pain proceeds promotion. Promotion in your marriage or your relationships,

promotion in career or finances, promotion in a ministry. James says in chapter number one in verse four, that next verse, let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature, you gotta be growing, and complete, not lacking anything. When you respond correctly to pain, it builds you, it develops you, it grows you, it matures you. Why? So you're not lacking anything you need for your next season of life. Pain is the vehicle that gets you from where you are to where God wants you to be. Every painful test is God's way of saying, I'm preparing you for what I've prepared for you. You see, church, sometime unanswered prayers are not God's punishment, they're his preparation. God's painful not yet protects you from not ever. God is trying to mature you, grow you, develop you, so you're ready for what he has next. You must embrace the pain you're going through. You must embrace the problem you're going through and pass the test. James teaches us that maturity comes when perseverance finishes its work. If you shortcut the process, you short circuit the promise because half-finished faith never reaches full potential. Perseverance must finish its work so we are complete, not lacking anything.

You cannot become who God wants you to be while staying who you are. You have to allow pain to grow you, to mature you, to push you out of your comfort zone, to develop you. Scripture says there in James, let perseverance finish its work. That literally means don't quit, let it finish. Don't you give up because it's painful. And sometimes the pain feels unbearable. Whew. You feel like you can't take anymore. I'm just right now going down memory lane in my own life. I've been there on multiple occasions. There've been times I didn't know how much more I could take. Going through so much pain, so much brokenness, so many problems. I don't know if I can take anymore. I don't know if I can handle anymore. Can things get any worse? But I'm so glad I did not quit. And I'm talking to somebody today, I know it's painful. I know the problems continue to stack up on you, but do not quit. Let me give you my life verse today, Galatians chapter six and verse number nine. Let us not become weary in doing good. For at the proper time, God always has a proper time. There's a proper time on his calendar right now for your life. At the proper time, we will reap a harvest

if we do not give up. Don't grow weary and quit. Don't give up in the middle of the pain and the problems. I think about Joseph in the book of Genesis, in the Bible. He went through so much pain for 13 long years. He was sold into slavery by his own brothers. He was falsely accused in Potiphar's house of rape. He was thrown into the prison. He sat in the prison before he ever sat in the palace. But he did not give up, and God developed something good inside of Joseph that prepared him to be the second in charge of Egypt. And if Joseph was here today preaching and teaching this message, he would tell you, don't you give up because painful endings are the doorway to divine beginnings. I think about Job. Job lost everything. He lost his kids, his wealth, his health. He lost the support of his wife. He lost the support of his friends. You're talking about a painful season. But what we learn from Job is he did not give up, and God developed something good on the inside of Job that got him ready to experience double the blessing. Job chapter 42, verse 12 says, the Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the former part. And now we see double of what he had. He had 14,000 sheep now, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 donkeys. God will bless the latter part of your life more than the former part of your life if you learn to steward pain well. If you will allow pain to grow you, I believe it with all of my heart, God wants to bless your life more than ever before, but you need to steward pain well. He wants to bless your marriage, your relationships.

He wants to bless your kids, your business, your family, your career. He wants to bless your future more than ever before, just like he did for Job. But you have to allow pain to grow you. Can I say this to you today? You have to change your relationship with pain because God wants to grow you because he has so much more for your life. There's so much potential inside of you, so much more God wants to do through your life. You have to change your relationship with pain because God is growing you in 2026 because he has so much more for your life. I want to pray for you right now. Some of you are going through a massive amount of pain. Life is hard. Family can be hard, parenting hard, career hard, relationships hard. Let me pray for you, Heavenly Father. I pray for all those that are listening, my family right now, God, that you would touch them. Pain is real. Heartbreak is real. Disappointment is real. Betrayal is real. Loss is real. But you're the God that takes all the bad and all of the good, and you work them for good in our lives. And we love you. And so, Lord, I pray today that we would be able to take the pain that we're going through and steward it in a way that would honor you, that would allow you to produce something good in us. It's just a test, and Father, I pray, give every single person the strength, the courage, the tenacity, the faith not to give up, not to get bitter, but to say, God, it's a test. Have your way in me so that I can step into all that you have for my life. In Jesus' name I pray.

As eyes are just closed, maybe right there in your living room, you can just bow your head with me, or you can stare at me as well on the screen. But I just think there's something special about locking yourself away with God and just saying, God, are you speaking to me right now? Is there somebody right now watching me? Maybe your eyes are closed, you're sitting at the dining room table, you're laying on the couch watching me, and you're going, I know I'm not right with God, I'm not living for God, I'm not serving God, and I want to give him my heart today. What a moment for you. I don't think you'll ever forget this moment, sitting right there where you are. And you give your life to Jesus, allow Him to wash away your sins, allow Him to change your life. For some of you right now as I'm talking, you're a little emotional because the pain of life has kept you away from Jesus. You've been through so much pain, so much trauma, and so much heartache, and you never understood that just pain is a part of life and it never ends. Because we live in a fallen world, but God is still good, and He loves you, and He wants to wash away your sins, and He wants to forgive you, and He has a really good plan for your life. If that's you, you want to give your life to Jesus today, you want to recommit your life to the Lord, I'm going to ask you to open your eyes right now, and I'm going to ask you just to click the raise your hand button, and say, boy, that's me. That's me right now. Just click that raise your hand button, or just write in the chat, that's me. Just write, that's me. That's me. That's me saying yes to Jesus. That's me giving Jesus my heart. I'm going to ask every person clicking the raise your hand button right now, I'm going to ask every person that's writing, that's me, to pray this prayer with me.

Confess it with your mouth, believe it in your heart, and God's going to wash away your sins. Pray with me now, Heavenly Father, I turn my life over to Jesus Christ. I really believe He's the Son of God. He rose on the third day with all power in His hands, and Heavenly Father, I just confess, I'm going to live for Jesus the rest of my life. Thank you for forgiving me of all of my sins, in Jesus' name I pray, amen and amen. Hey, at all of our locations, everybody that's attending in all the different locations, we can't wait to see you back in person next Sunday. Well come on, throw it in the chat line right now, we're family! We'll see you next Sunday at People's Church.