There should be purpose in your pain.

The transformation of  the body and spirit, as well as the discipline of one’s journey does not always follow a rigid sequence of  suffering and pain.

One’s walk with God can be marked by significant discipline, but discipline without revelation leads only to purposeless suffering. Not everyone must experience failure to grow spiritually. More often than not, suffering comes from a neglect of revelation, leaving God with no choice but to use discipline to open our ears to His voice. In many cases, discipline is a remedial measure—one that follows when divine revelation has been repeatedly ignored.

At the same time, the more disciplined a person becomes, the greater their ability to interpret and comprehend revelation. However, this should not be the primary pathway to growth—ideally, revelation should precede discipline. What is crucial to understand is that personal spiritual experiences and disciplines are unique and subjective. One should not expect others to fully align with their experiences, nor should they establish doctrine or dogma based solely on personal encounters with God.

Despite their subjectivity, personal experiences remain instructive—not only for oneself but also for those whom God has placed in one’s life. Some individuals are divinely positioned to learn from your journey, sparing them from undergoing similar trials. This is often an indicator that you have been sent to them. When God sends you to specific people, He also gives them the capacity to receive the message within you. Not everyone will resonate with your message, as you are called to particular individuals who are prepared to receive what God has deposited in you. Ministry, therefore, often draws from personal experiences—how God has guided, disciplined, and revealed His truth to you. However, personal experiences should never replace the doctrine of Christ or the purity of the gospel. Rather, they serve as tools to provide insight and perspective for those entrusted to you.

In the process of spiritual refinement, God employs two primary tools: discipline and revelation. Even after an initial separation from worldly influences, a deeper refinement process is necessary—one that targets biases, prejudices, and personal limitations. This ensures that we can minister to God with purity, untainted by personal distortions. The discipline of the spirit often comes through experience—where trials, failures, and divine corrections reveal areas in need of transformation. Sometimes, a prophetic word or strong conviction might highlight an issue, but pride or self-assurance may cause one to dismiss it. In such cases, God permits discipline to break stubbornness, leading to genuine humility and spiritual growth.

Many young believers assume that after receiving a divine calling, their journey to greatness will be immediate and without struggle. However, God often leads them through a process of refinement—a necessary discipline of the spirit. Revelation alone should be enough, but human nature often resists it. Instead of yielding to divine insight, people tend to evade correction. This is why discipline becomes an unavoidable tool in God’s hands. It ensures that His children align with His will, even when they resist revelation. In truth, before any major trial or discipline, there is often a preceding revelation—one that was ignored. Since God is committed to our spiritual growth, He allows us to pass through the crucible of discipline when we fail to heed His voice.

Ultimately, the journey of spiritual refinement is one of continuous separation—separation from impurities, worldly inclinations, and personal pride—so that we may serve God with sincerity, clarity, and purity.