The Blessings of Pain
One of the basest characteristics of all living creatures is the ability to feel pain. Pain is recognisable across race, gender and species and while we always look to pain as a negative consequence, it is so fundamental to human existence and by extension all living things,that it asks the question of it’s necessity.
One of the fundamental attributes of pain is that it causes you to stop. Whatever the activity or pathway, pain causes a pause, more like jolting the senses and in that space, the opportunity for more is given. Sometimes to think, reflect or just wince aloud and perhaps reflect but pain brings us to that juncture where we must look away from our activities, busyness and pay careful attention inwards, it redirects the mind and steals away distractions… Sometimes for just a moment but the reflection within that moment and what we do with it can change the trajectory of our very existence.
The beauty of pain is that it is unique in it’s experience and comes to individuals differently. The pain from a stab is different from the pain of loss and equally different from the pain of heartbreak but however the form in which it comes, it is a gentle reminder of our humanity and the fact that we are still alive.
The Speaking Voice
God speaks to us in many ways and through many activities but sometimes, we muffle out the voice of God consciously or unconsciously by seemingly everyday activities. Sometimes, we get so busy that our heart is not “still”, enough to hear. Sometimes, it’s our mind being preoccupied with activities, work, family, other times fatigue, but whatever it is, the effect is the same, we numb out the voice of God. Sometimes we realise this and notice when it is happening, often times we are powerless to it’s effects and while conscious, is unable to change the tides. But irrespective of whether we hear Him or not, one thing is certain, God is always speaking. He speaks unhindered because of His great love and more so, when we are unable to hear.
Love comes in many ways; naturally though, we think of butterflies in our tummies and rightly so, love speaks of happiness and joy unspeakable. But scripture tells us that chastisement (Hebrews 12:6) can be an expression of love, in the case of children of Isreal, it came as a plague (2 Samuel 24), and for the prodigal son, it came as afflictions (Luke 15). What if love comes in unrecognisable strands, what if it comes in unexpected doses of pain and anguish… Like when a mother spares not the rod to save the character of her child (Proverbs 13:24), Is this not the purest act of love? And while it doesn’t seem so from the child’s perspective, the mother knows there is a greater danger ahead and she constrains herself to inflict pain because she knows, pain causes a pause, pain causes a redirect and perhaps can lead to redemption.
Sometimes, when we have gone beyond the threshold, when words are not enough even though the Lord speaks continually, He sends pain, He sends anguish and afflictions. Not to inflict but to save. As humans, our first reaction especially in this state is to find a solution that makes sense to our five senses, to figure it out or to seek help, advise, anything but God. but when God truly wants to reach us, we may soon realise that no human help or solution makes any difference. As with the disciples in (Mark 4:37-41), when everything else has failed, they remembered that Jesus has been in the boat all along and all they needed to do was to ask Him for help.
Sometimes we struggle with even this but when we eventually do, the solution is always the same, “let go and let me…” Many at time, this does not make sense but in truth, the whole reason for the pain was to get your attention, to get you to return to your marker, to trust in His saving grace, to let go and completely depend on Him. It is within these trenches that the Lord begins anew with you to build trust, birth peace and establish His great love within our hearts. The song writer said it best when he penned these words .
“Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear-
All because we do not carry,
everything to God in prayer!”
The Depths of Love
However, love comes in doses of pain and sorrow… love comes softly and in giving love, we also experience unspeakable anguish. This must have been what Christ felt when scripture recorded that the droplets of sweat from His body were like blood (Luke 22:44) or when he cried in pain (Matt. 27:45-50) but this was no physical pain, it was much more, to be separated from God because that was what it took to bear the sins of the world, a separation, meaning the father turned His face away from Him.
Remarkably, when Christ calls us to follow Him, He tells us to share in that pain and anguish, to feel His pain for sinful man (Jude 22-24), to carry that cross daily (Matthew 16:24), and experience sufferings (Galatians 5:22, 2 Peter 3:9, 2 Timothy 4:2) as part of the journey, He calls us to share in that remembrance, that love, and become partakers of His heritage because, the blessings and redemption we seek is within the pain we have refused to touch.
Today an invitation is given you to experience with Christ the other side of the cross, to be born anew and find your place as a son/daughter of God.
“Sons of God, belovèd in Jesus!
Oh, the wondrous word of grace!
In His Son the Father sees us,
And as sons He gives us place.”
