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Appreciating Pain

Nobody likes pain. Well, at least, no sane person likes pain. Yet, God has created a world where nothing of significant value can be experienced without it. Although some feel the existence of pain reveals God's lack of tact in forming the universe, everyone has pain to thank more than they know. For starters, pain has been a gift to you because it alerts you that something is going wrong. Pain has saved your life, year after year, prompting you to handle infections or get to an emergency room. Pain has also been the backdrop of all growth and accomplishment.Sweet victory, strengthened character and hopeful endurance would be stripped of its glory without them first traveling through the dark tunnels of suffering. As one speaker put it, "Getting the wind knocked out of you is a reminder to your lungs how much they like the taste of air." Or as Charles Spurgeon puts it, “From all the afflictions, Your glory shall spring. And the deeper the sorrow, the louder you'll sing.”

Ultimately, pain connects us to the reality that we have sinned against God— something more fundamental than body aches is wrong with this world. We need a savior. The good news is that a Savior has come, and through a painful cross redeemed us and promises a new reality where pain is impossible.

Pain also reminds us of Heaven.

Chuck Palahniuk, author of the book turned feature film Flight Club, drives the point home well, he says, "It's so hard to forget pain, but it's even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace.” Could it be that God has a special purpose for pain? Could pain be accomplishing something for us that happiness can’t? Though we can experience real joy and sweetness, it is often threatened by pain and sadness. But God redeems our scars by showing us that our pain produces endurance and establishes our hope (Romans 3-5). Our scars are reminders of the hope we have of pains permanent removal.

Prayer: Lord, I realize that my pain can produce growth and remind me of eternal things. Though it doesn’t feel good, help me to know how much good comes from my pain. Amen.