Tag Archives: Suffering

The Purpose of Pain

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“Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”
(1 Peter 4:19 ESV) 

Last week I mentioned how I usually have a hard time coming up with something to write about, how it’s a struggle to come up with something that will be relevant and meaningful.  This week, that’s not a problem.

For the past 5 days now I have been struggling with what has now been diagnosed as Acute Sinusitis (I knew that’s what it was and still am not sure why I needed a doctor to confirm it).  Essentially, I feel like I’ve been hit in the eye and jaw with a baseball bat.  Repeatedly.  I haven’t slept well, I haven’t had much of an appetite, and no amount of pain medication or decongestant has been able to touch the headache.  Overall, it hasn’t been a good week.

Still, my mild suffering has reminded me of the very important purpose of pain.  God has created us with the ability to feel pain, and that is a good thing.  Pain tells us that something is wrong.  When you feel a pain walking, you might stop to take the pebble out of your shoe.  Mild pain for an athlete can be a warning before a greater injury occurs.  A tooth pain will tell you it’s time to get to the dentist.  The pain of a burn will help you learn to stay away from fire.

Emotional pain can be a good thing too.  When others hurt us, we can learn to be more discerning in our relationships, more cautious with our trust.  Broken relationships pain our hearts and drive us to reconciliation and forgiveness.  When you are truly in love, you are willing to have your heart broken, you know that the pain is worth the glory.

Pain is also good for us spiritually.  Often times, pain can remind us of our own mortality, and lead us to a greater dependency upon God.  I know this past week I have prayed more for deliverance and waited patiently on the Lord for healing than I had in quite a while.  As I prayed, and the pain continued, I heard also the reminder from 2 Corinthians, “[God’s] grace is sufficient for [me], for [His] power is made perfect in weakness” (2Corinthians 12:9).

The pain we suffer can also be a reminder of our brokenness.  We are taught that, because of the fall, the pain of childbearing was multiplied for women; “In pain you shall bring forth children.”  At first glance we might just consider that to be the pain of birth, but how many mothers have had their heart’s pained and broken for their children and because of their children.  The curse for Adam was that the ground, of which he was to be the caretaker, would be cursed and “in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life” (Genesis 3:17).  Pain ought to be for us a vivid and powerful reminder of our broken relationship with God and our absolute dependence upon God’s grace and mercy just to make it through the day.

Our pain can also remind us of the pain that Christ suffered for our salvation.  I have been hurt before, but never could I suffer the way that he suffered for me; the just for the unjust.  1 Peter  reminds us that when Jesus was reviled, “he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.  He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live by righteousness.  By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:23-24).  When I struggle with pain, I am reminded of the pain that he bore for me, and I come to two conclusions.  First, I am filled with remorse for the pain that I have caused him, and cause him still, through my sin and disobedience.  “Does he still feel the nails?”  Secondly, I am overcome by thanksgiving and praise that God loved me enough that he would send His Son to save me and to deliver me.

So, as with all things, even my pain serves a purpose, and I can be thankful to God that He has not abandoned me, and that my pain is not meaningless.  Now if God will see it fit to relieve me of this pain, I think I will be able to sing His praises even louder.  Until then, I’ll just keep trusting in Him.

Dealing with Adversity

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“we rejoice in our sufferings…”
Romans 5:3 (ESV)

“Into each life a little rain must fall, some days must be dark and dreary” (Longfellow).  I think we can all understand and agree with Longfellow.  Each of us has known those dark and dreary days; some of us may be facing them even now.  Adversity, persecution, trial and hardship – these are experiences common to everyone, in one way or another.  How we respond, however, defines our character.

Jesus warned his followers that “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20 ESV).  Facing adversity for your faith, being persecuted for your beliefs, dealing with hardship because of your decision to live in righteousness and peace; all of this is to be expected for those who follow Jesus.  If you are truly living for Christ, you will face persecution.

There are those who, when faced with adversity, react poorly.  In anger they may lash out at those who stand in their way, or in defeat they may resign and run from their problems.  “Fight or Flight” are the two recognized biological responses of all animals facing acute stress. 

There is a third response; it is not biological, it is spiritual.  Romans 5:3-5 tells us to rejoice in our sufferings, “knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

This third way, the way of rejoicing in the midst of suffering, is a work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  It is not natural to us.  But when God is with us, we will face difficulty with:

  • Faithfulness – Consider Job.  He lost everything, his farm, his house, his family – only his wife was left, and she told him to just curse God and die.  Job’s response, however, was one of absolute faithfulness, “the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21 ESV).  The overarching message of Revelation is that in the midst of the calamity, persecution, and general mayhem of the last days, God is still on His throne, and He has a plan of salvation for His people.  In spite of your trials, because of your trials, trust in the Lord.
  • Humility – Every time we face hardship, or we are persecuted by others, it is important for us to humble ourselves before the Lord.  Sometimes the adversity we face may be God’s way of disciplining us, weaning us from sin, teaching us to lean solely on Him.  Ask yourself, “How have I been wrong?  How have I contributed to this problem?  Am I guilty of doing to others the thing that is causing me suffering?”  You may be completely justified, you may be suffering unfairly, but each us of may learn, through humility and a teachable spirit, how to grow and mature through the struggles we face.
  • Grace – How much better would the world be if we treated one another, especially in times of great crisis and stress, with the same grace that God has given to us?  Jesus said in Matthew 10, “Freely you have received, freely give.”  In Jesus we have received the free gift of grace, the salvation from our sins, as God overlooked our sins and transgression to bring us forgiveness.  As He has forgiven and welcomed us, so we are to forgive and welcome one another.  Grace under fire offers forgiveness and seeks forgiveness.
  • Love  – One of the greatest questions we can ask in the midst of our suffering is, “How can I, even in the midst of adversity and trial, show the love of God to those around me?”  In the course of our struggles we come to know how God’s love has been poured into our hearts, until we come to the point of overflowing, so that God’s love spills out into the lives of others.  As we respond to adversity with love, we can encourage and equip those around us to do the same.

Friends, suffering is not easy, nor is it enjoyable; but neither is it without purpose.  Whatever you may be facing today, may God’s Spirit equip you to face the day with Faithfulness, Humility, Grace, and Love, and may your trials bring you closer to the Lord.

SDG