The Pain Makes It More Beautiful
One of the most life impacting books I have read is by Donald Miller called A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. I love his writing style, I love the transparency that he writes with. But I think the reason I resonate with this book so much is that our journeys have some strong similarities. I highly recommend the book and encourage you to read it. There is one quote in it that has rocked me (in an encouraging way). He is talking about his decision to hike to Machu Picchu:
And it was like Carlos said, because you can take a bus to Machu Picchu; you can take a train and then a bus, and you can hike a mile to the Sun Gate. But the people who took the bus didn’t experience the city as we experienced the city. The pain made the city more beautiful. The story made us different characters than we would have been if we had skipped the story and showed up at the ending an easier way. It made me think about the hard lives so many people have had, the sacrifices they’ve endured, and how those people will see heaven differently from those of us who have had easier lives.
Maybe you have spent years hiking, while you watched others take the bus. Maybe your dream hasn’t been reached as easily as you thought. Maybe the journey of your marriage has brought you more pain than you think you can bear. Maybe the loss of a child or the inability to have children has brought grief to your heart and complication to your marriage. Maybe you resent people in your life, co-workers, friends, siblings who seem to find the express train to their destination while you wade through dysfunction, delays and disappointment.
I just want you to know, THE PAIN WILL MAKE THE CITY MORE BEAUTIFUL. What you are going through right now, what you have gone through in the past, what you will go through in the future will give you a glimpse of God in ways that other people won’t get. Stay the course. Keep fighting. Keep hiking. Keep taking steps. The story God is writing with your life is one that He longs to use to change you in ways that just showing up at the end of the journey won’t. The pain makes it all more beautiful.
Do you have a personal Machu Picchu? I’d love for you to share it here with us.
17 Comments to “The Pain Makes It More Beautiful”
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I sure hope the pain will make the city more beautiful. I'd hate to think all the poo I've stepped in for the last ten years was for nothing!
My personal Machu Picchu is becoming a published author that would open the door for me to speak to groups about what's on my heart.
Praying for you on this journey Jason! Keep hiking!
Needed this today. Thanks. I have already read A Million Miles twice. Now I am thinking about going back in for a third. So many lessons to learn.
Thanks Lindsey! I am on my second read, and I love it more and more. Thanks for your friendship!
amazingly written post, justin.
im experiencing the results of my personal hike this week on my blog as i share about abortion and the effects of it. 15 years ago, i wouldnt have been able to share so freely, but the hike i chose to journey with God to the top of this mountain has allowed and equipped me to share, reveal and see things in a totally different way.
it was worth every single arduous step!
Tam,
Your blog this week has been amazing. Thank you for taking something that so very few people talk about, and bringing it to life from your personal experience. Hike on!
thank you. and ditto friend…you inspire lots of people!
Yes … "pain can make the city more beautiful" … if we turn to God for help. There are many people/marriages/dreams/etc shattered beyond repair by pain – all kinds of pain. For that reason, pain is not good … but if we turn to our creator – our creator that is love – then something good can come from the pain. For that reason, I don't think God writes pain into our story, especially life-altering pain, but I think if we ask him, he can turn the pain that life gives us into something beautiful.
Thank you so much for your thoughts Janet! I agree with you on God not writing pain into our story, and I do think that he longs to use the most painful of circumstances to open our mind and heart to His Story!
My personal Machu Picchu is standing for the restoration of my marriage. God does have me on a journey and I have had to wade through alot of mud to get where I am today….but God is not through with me yet. I am going to keep hiking and fighting for the prize.
For you have need of endurance, for when you have done the will of God you will receive what was promised. Heb 10:36
Pam…we are praying for this for you! Keeping fighting, keep praying and I know God is going to show up for you along the way!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Lindsey Nobles, inprogress, Justin Davis, Justin Davis, trishadavis23 and others. trishadavis23 said: RT @justindavis33: Life is enjoyed more if U know the pain of the journey will make the destination more beautiful http://bit.ly/c5dNS3 #fb [...]
This made me tear up. I feel the beauty through the pain and it is amazing! I love watching my life unfold even if it isn't how I would have planned it. The successes in life are so much sweeter when you know how much you have struggled to get there. Love the analogy. Great post!
I'm on page 200 right now, and it is a great book….extremely easy to understand, extremely hard to live out. So much good stuff about choosing to live an interesting story instead of constantly trying to insulate ourselves from hurt and pain, both ours and others'.
I love you guys! As you know we are still climbing, but the view is breathtaking as we begin to rise!!! Can't wait till we get to the mountain top! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings, and for your talent of putting it all down in words for the rest of us to experience and learn. MISS YOU SO MUCH!!!!
Andrea, we love you guys and are so proud of you. The choices you have made to hike through pain are inspiring and God led! Thank you for being friends who love us no matter what!
Yes … "pain can make the city more beautiful" … if we turn to God for help. There are many people/marriages/dreams/etc shattered beyond repair by pain – all kinds of pain. For that reason, pain is not good … but if we turn to our creator – our creator that is love – then something good can come from the pain. For that reason, I don't think God writes pain into our story, especially life-altering pain, but I think if we ask him, he can turn the pain that life gives us into something beautiful.