There’s no doubt about it—life is filled with challenges. No one gets a free pass. Pain, difficulty, and disappointment are part of being human. Sometimes that pain is self-inflicted. We’ve all made poor choices, said things we regret, or taken actions that created unnecessary hardship in our lives. Other times, however, the pain we feel doesn’t seem to come from anything we did wrong. It feels random, unfair, and even preventable.

That’s when the questions start rising in our hearts: Why me? Why now? Why would God allow this?

If you’ve ever asked those questions, you’re not alone. In fact, the Bible speaks directly to this tension. In 2 Corinthians 1:4, Paul writes, “God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

This is a powerful truth: God never wastes pain.

Pain Has a Purpose

Notice what Paul is saying here. God doesn’t just comfort us to make us feel better—He comforts us so that we, in turn, can comfort others. The difficulties we walk through, the tears we cry, and the strength we receive from God in those dark moments are not wasted. They are part of a larger plan to encourage, strengthen, and bless others who will one day face something similar.

That means your pain is not pointless. It has a redemptive purpose.

God Meets Us in Our Struggles

When you face hardship, God invites you to turn to Him for comfort and strength. He doesn’t promise to eliminate every problem, but He does promise to meet you in it. Think about that—when you bring your broken heart to Jesus, He gives you peace. When you hand over your anxiety, He offers rest. When you confess your weakness, He supplies His strength.

And once you’ve experienced His comfort, you carry it with you. It becomes part of your testimony.

Your Story Can Help Someone Else

Here’s the beautiful part: the comfort you receive becomes a gift you can give away. When a friend loses a loved one, and you’ve walked through grief yourself, you have a unique ability to speak hope into their life. When someone battles anxiety, and you’ve experienced God’s peace in the middle of fear, you can encourage them with real authenticity.

Your pain becomes someone else’s lifeline.

God Has Others in Mind

This is what I love about God’s perspective. While we’re often focused on escaping pain, God is focused on redeeming it. He not only wants to grow us through our trials, but He also has others in mind who will be blessed by our story of faith, perseverance, and comfort.

So, if you’re in a season of difficulty right now, let me encourage you—don’t waste your pain. Lean into God’s presence. Allow Him to meet you with His peace and strength. And then, when the time is right, look around. Someone else is going to need the comfort you’ve received.

God never wastes pain.