When the Hurt Becomes Your Teacher

When the Hurt Becomes Your Teacher
Devotion by Pastor Alexander L. Redd
November 13, 2025

Have you ever looked back on a difficult chapter of your life and quietly realized, “I didn’t see it then, but now I understand a bit more of what God was doing”? In the midst of loss or confusion, meaning often feels out of reach. When all we can feel is disappointment or pain, it’s natural to ask God “why?” Sometimes, the only response seems to be silence.

On the night before His suffering, Jesus acknowledged this ache to understand. He gently assured His disciples, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:12–13). There were lessons His friends needed, but their hearts weren’t yet ready for them. They would have to pass through grief, witness the cross, see the empty tomb, and welcome the Holy Spirit. It was only on the other side of these trials that deeper truths would unfold.

God often leads us down a similar path. There are insights we can only perceive after walking through sorrow. Peter couldn’t truly understand grace until he tasted the bitterness of failure. The disciples didn’t know the strength that comes from God until their own courage ran dry. Pain didn’t mean God had turned away; it was His way of drawing them into greater depth. We want God to explain before the tears, but He often chooses to explain through the tears.In these tender words from Jesus, there is comfort for us: First, God understands what our hearts can handle. If He withholds certain answers, it’s not because He is far off or unmoved. He is patient, waiting for a time when the truth will strengthen rather than overwhelm us. Second, the Holy Spirit walks alongside us as the most gentle of teachers. Truth isn’t forced upon us in one great rush. The Spirit uses daily moments like each joy, sorrow, and question to slowly reveal wisdom.

If you’re in a chapter of your life now that doesn’t make sense, if God seems silent or distant, remember: He is still at work. In time, you may look back and realize that, through your very trials, God softened your heart, deepened your trust, and taught you lessons you couldn’t have learned otherwise. The Spirit of truth is leading you, one day at a time, one step at a time, toward a greater understanding you will only see as you follow Him.

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