Day 22 – When Pain Becomes Purpose

April 22, 2026 — Wednesday

Not every day feels significant.

Some feel… normal.

Routine.
Meetings.
Conversations.

But sometimes, inside an ordinary day…

There’s something deeper happening underneath.

A Conversation That Mattered

I spent time with one of my team members.

She was walking through something difficult.

A past business situation.
A partnership that didn’t end well.
A decision to walk away.

And with that…

Questions.

Doubt.
Processing.

What Came Out of That Moment

As we talked, something surfaced that I’ve come to believe more and more:

The hardest moments in your life…
aren’t wasted.

They’re used.

Looking Back at My Own Story

I’ve been through it in business.

• Great partnerships

• Bad partnerships

• Wins

• Losses

• Being taken advantage of

• Starting over

And some of those moments…

Were dark.

Real dark.

The Part That Didn’t Make Sense Then

In those moments, you don’t understand it.

You don’t see the purpose.

You’re just trying to get through it.

But On the Other Side

Something shifts.

Because later…

You find yourself sitting across from someone
walking through something similar.

And suddenly…

You’re not just sharing advice…
you’re sharing experience.

Why That Matters

Because experience carries weight.

It’s not theory.

It’s not opinion.

It’s lived.

And when you use that to help someone else…

Something changes.

A Different Kind of Joy

There’s a scripture that comes to mind:

“Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials…” James 1:2

Not because the trial is easy.

But because of what it produces.

What I’m Starting to See

I’ve had moments where I lost a lot.

Financially.
Emotionally.
Relationally.

And it hurt.

But now…

I can help someone avoid it…
or walk through it better.

And that changes how I see it.

The Warning I Shared

We also talked about success.

Because I’ve seen that side too.

Hitting numbers.
Chasing growth.
Building momentum.

And I told her:

If your identity is built on success…
what happens when it’s gone?

The Real Foundation

Because I’ve lived that.

Built it.
Lost it.
Built again.

And if your identity is tied to it…

You lose more than just the business.

A Needed Reset

Later in the day, something else stood out.

My wife and I hadn’t had real time together.

Not intentional time.

So we made it happen.

Why That Matters

Because it’s easy to get busy.

Especially in ministry.
Especially in leadership.

And if you’re not careful…

The thing you’re building…
starts to take from the thing that matters most.

Coming Back to the Foundation

So we stepped away.

A simple date.

Time together.

Talking.
Reflecting.
Remembering.

A Question That Still Holds

It reminded me of something from when we were engaged.

Our pastor asked us:

“Do you believe God brought you together?”

And we both said yes.

Without hesitation.

The Tension

How do you build something meaningful…

Without losing what matters most?

How do you use your past…

Without being defined by it.

The Anchor

“He comforts us… so that we can comfort others…” 2 Corinthians 1:4

Not wasted.

Repurposed.

Closing Thought

Some of the hardest things I’ve been through…

I wouldn’t choose again.

But now I see it differently:

It wasn’t just something I went through.
It’s something I can use.