Our pain helping others - Todd Bridges

Lamentations 3:31-33 (NLT)
31 For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. 32 Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. 33 For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.

Matthew Henry writes the following commentary on these verses. Therefore the sufferer is thus penitent, thus patient, because he believes that God is gracious and merciful, which is the great inducement both to evangelical repentance and to Christian patience. We may bear ourselves up with this, 1. That, when we are cast down, yet we are not cast off; the father’s correcting his son is not a disinheriting of him. 2. That though we may seem to be cast off for a time, while sensible comforts are suspended and desired salvations deferred, yet we are not really cast off, because not cast off for ever; the controversy with us shall not be perpetual. 3. That, whatever sorrow we are in, it is what God has allotted us, and his hand is in it. It is he that causes grief, and therefore we may be assured it is ordered wisely and graciously; and it is but for a season, and when need is, that we are in heaviness, 1 Pt. 1:6. 4. That God has compassions and comforts in store even for those whom he has himself grieved. We must be far from thinking that, though God cause grief, the world will relieve and help us. No; the very same that caused the grief must bring in the favour, or we are undone. Una eademque manus vulnus opemque tulit—The same hand inflicted the wound and healed it. he has torn, and he will heal us, Hos. 6:1. 5. That, when God returns to deal graciously with us, it will not be according to our merits, but according to his mercies, according to the multitude, the abundance, of his mercies. So unworthy we are that nothing but an abundant mercy will relieve us; and from that what may we not expect? And God’s causing our grief ought to be no discouragement at all to those expectations.



We have a hard time understanding it, but there is a purpose to the grief and suffering in our lives. We can recall in the Bible Job suffered greatly losing his family, his servants, and even his possessions. God allowed this to happen to show Job’s character, to prove Satan wrong and to Glorify God. God did not leave Job to his suffering, but instead brought healing due to God’s unfailing love. Job didn’t get back the children he lost, but we can be assured they went to be with God where Job would later be with them. Job was also blessed with more children who were raised in a Godly home. Job didn’t get back the servants he first trusted or the wealth he first possessed, but Job did get back more servants he trusted and more possessions than he ever lost.

Last night I saw the childhood actor Todd Bridges, who played Willis in the NBC/ABC sitcom Different Stokes. Todd was on Dr. Drew HLN talking about the abuse he suffered in his life as a child. Todd talked about the pain and grief the abuse cost him. Then he talked about how he survived and how he hopes his story will reach out to others and help them. I know there were those who had to be watching and thinking, “If Todd Bridges made it, I can too!” God doesn’t enjoy the hurting or sorrow we face. However, God is pleased when His people can turn to Him and realize He was always with them even in their moments of pain. God never abandons and His love is always there. He uses our pain to ease the pain of others. God bless Todd Bridges for speaking up and for Dr. Drew brings these painful situations to light to help others heal.