Asa ordered everyone in Judah to carry away the stones and wood Baasha had used to strengthen the town of Ramah. Then he used these same stones and wood to fortify the town of Geba in the territory of Benjamin and the town of Mizpah.

2 Kings 15:22

Among my favorite books in the Bible are First and Second Kings. I know that probably puts me in a (very) small minority. That portion of scripture is stuffed with strange names and obscure details that many readers find insufferably boring. Part of the reason I am attracted to those two books is that they contain stories that combine two of my abiding passions: leadership and history. They distill the main characters, principal actions, and key lessons of four centuries of Hebrew history.  

An arresting example is before us. King Baasha decides to invade Judah and constructs a barrier on the country's border. The barrier is made of stones and wood. Shortly after his building project begins, Baasha learns of another invasion in his country, so he leaves the project in Judah unfinished and rushes back home.  When Baasha leaves, King Asa of Judah instructs the people to take the same stones from the unfinished project (the stones that were going to be used to attack them!) and build 3 other towns. 

I know. All of these names may be confusing. Feel free to read that paragraph again.  

If you don't want to, here's what happened in a nutshell: A guy uses what was going to destroy his nation to build his nation.

He repurposed his pain.

We cannot choose what happens to us. But we certainly can choose what to do with what happens to us. Life can throw all kinds of rocks our way. But when (not if) we survive the attack, it is wise to look at the rocks that were thrown to determine if we can use any of them to build a better life. Some of the best relationship building, wisdom building, and career building materials available are in the warehouse of unsuccessful attacks on our lives. 

The legendary entertainer Duke Ellington once said, "Instead of pouting, I took my pain and turned it into the blues.” Instead of forgetting, medicating, rationalizing, lying, or pouting about our pain, we should start using it. 

What can you turn your pain into?