pain vs. suffering

1 Chronicles 4-6

The Lord has definitely expanded my territory recently with the professorship at UTEP, so I pondered this comparison this morning:

^4:9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." ¹⁰ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.

vs.

^{Phil. 3:7}But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. ¹⁰I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

I am not saying that they are incompatible or contradictory; I'm just trying to figure out how they fit together.  It seems like "expanding my territory" is fine as long as it is leveraged for expanding His Kingdom.  But, I suppose this is the principle challenge: to avoid becoming thorny soil.  Either we can use the resources to increase the Lordship of Christ, or we will place ourselves in bondage to the resources.

I'm still chewing on the "pain vs. suffering" concept, but it seems like true suffering results in joy.

Heavenly Father, you are beautiful and the only worthy desire.  Please forgive me for my attachment to the things of this world.  I want to love you more and more and the world less and less.  Please help me crucify the desires of the flesh; Lord, please deliver me from worldliness, lust, and pride.  Lord, I pray that my desire will be for you and your eternal Kingdom.  May I only see the resources and opportunities that you have given me as tools to bless you and expand your Kingdom.  I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.