The late Tom Fred Tenney left a powerful message about God’s perspective of pain toward His children. And it’s a message that provides much wisdom for Christians.
Tom Fred Tenney
T.F. Tenny, or Tom Fred Tenney, was the father of the God Chasers’ author, Tommy Tenney. He was an influential leader who gave insightful sermons, challenging believers in their walk with God.
In one of his sermons, he taught about what attitude Christians should have in painful moments.
“Sometimes, God delivers you from the fire furnace, and other times, He just makes you fireproof and let it burn on,” he said.
“Because He knows you’re going to learn something out of this pain that it’s going to produce power.”
Tenney explained that he had already prepared a sermon, and he wanted to preach something else. But the Holy Spirit kept nudging him about the power of pain.
He said, “They’ve got to get a new attitude toward what pain can do. It is not authorized to destroy them. It is authorized to make them.”
Tenney added, “God is more concerned with our development than He is with our comfort.”
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Power Of Pain
God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, conforming them into the image of Christ.
Ultimately, God’s goal of development is for the believers to be Christlike. And He has everything at his disposal to fulfill it, including pain and suffering.
In the world’s view, it is normal for people to run away from pain and find ways to escape from it. But Christians should look at trials with an understanding of God’s love for them. Doing so will produce endurance and strength, making believers grow in spiritual maturity James had mentioned, “complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).
Christy Hill, a Bible scholar, said, “It takes faith to consider that what God is doing, forming Christ in the believer, is more valuable than relieving pain.”
Header Image: Cece Winans [@cecewinans], T.F. Tenney’s message of Pain, Instagram, July 28, 2023, https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvPrl9sgMIr/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D