Pain

I have been thinking a lot about Pain lately. Why we have to experience it. Why our life is filled with it. Why God even allows it. Why it is good and bad.

Webster defines Pain as the following: 1. punishment 2a: usu. localized physical suffering associated with bodily disorder (as a disease or an injury) ; also : a basic bodily sensation induced by a noxious stimulus, received by naked nerve endings, characterized by physical discomfort (as pricking, throbbing, or aching), and typically leading to evasive action b:acute mental or emotional distress or suffering : grief

Pain is referred to as physical suffering and grief. Ouch! I dislike both of those images. Physically hurting or emotionally hurting.

Mom is currently experiencing Pain in her left arm. Yet despite the suffering, I am elated that she is experiencing anything at all in that arm. Pain can only mean that her arm and the nerves are waking back up. The numbness is slowly fading away and she is feeling the Pain and sensation which hopefully means movement sooner than later.

We are studying the book of John in my Bible Study group. John wants to stress the point that Jesus was both fully man/flesh and God. It's a hard concept yet we see it everywhere in the gospel. In John 4:6, the story of the woman at the well, he was tired and exhausted from his journey and sat down to ask for a drink. He experienced the pain of being exhausted. In John 19, We see Jesus physically beaten, flogged, slapped, and crucified. It is a horrible image, yet we see that He suffered physical pain. Pain beyond what we can imagine. And yet despite the suffering, we are saved. The Pain brought us our salvation. Once again an odd and beautiful image of Christ's suffering bringing me salvation.

Yet Pain can sometimes be emotional. I am saddened today. One of my best friend's friend just got engaged during the holidays. I know her only through my best friend. She is a beautiful fun-loving girl. She was planning her destination wedding in St. Lucia and was starting to make her plans. Monday her fiance suffered a brain aneurysm and passed away last night. I never met him but he was younger than me and their life had not even begun.

I cannot even begin to know what she is feeling today or his family. The Pain must be excruciating. This is the kind of Pain that doesn't make sense. That is wrought with confusion. I lay in bed last night trying to figure it out in my head. I never came up with an answer. I do know however, that God knows the Pain of heartbreak. He allowed His One and Only Son to die on the cross for me. His only Son! I can't stress that enough how incredible that is.

Oswald Chambers wrote in his book His Utmost for My Highest "If God can accomplish His purposes in this world through a broken heart, then why not thank Him for breaking yours?" What a hard task to thank Him for breaking your heart.

Peter speaks of this as well:
1 Peter 4:12-13 (New International Version)

Suffering for Being a Christian
12Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

His glory will be revealed in Pain!