Billboard

Without heartbreak Taylor Swift would have no songs to write.

Without the pain from relationships gone bad, where would Taylor Swift’s inspiration come from?

Her scars tell her story. Her pain inspires her art. Her conflicts create an opportunity for a greater victory.

Without getting knocked down we have no reason to rise up.

Without conflict there is no reason for us to rise off the couch.

Without getting fired from Apple Steve Jobs would have never invested in a little company called Pixar and we would have no “Toy Story”.

Without getting saddled with the horrible name “The Ringmaster”, Steve Austin would have never gone home and brainstormed the name “Stone Cold”.

There is significance in our struggle. There is art in our unrest. With conflict comes the chance for heroism.

You can’t be a hero unless you overcome something. What would the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers be without the Putty Patrol to defeat? What would the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles be without Shredder’s army of goons?

You might doubt a God who claims to love us but allows so much pain and leaves room for us to struggle. That’s a reasonable complaint.

If you’re going through something painful you have every right to scream out in frustration and doubt. God can handle your critiques. If you call out to God He will answer you. If you want to explore other options He will wait for you.

I can’t give you all the answers. But I do think God is using your doubts to drive you closer to Him. I think when we cry out in honest doubt He shows up to answer us like He did for Thomas in John 20. I think God uses our conflict as a chance for us to have a better story.

I think ultimately we must trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding, because we were never meant to understand it all. This is the definition of faith.

I don’t think we should ignore the pain in our life. I think we should do what Taylor Swift would do (and what David did in the Psalms before her). I think we should sing about it.

Where do you see a chance to be a hero over conflict today? How can you turn your heartbreak into a new song?