Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. (2 Cor 1:3-7)
Pain is the common denominator of the 21st century. Pain is no respecter of persons. No individual or demographic group is immune to it. One group may experience more pain than another group, however, somebody in every group has experienced pain. Have you ever thought we may be united by our pain?
Money, prestige, religion, power and beauty are some of the masks we wear to hide our pain. For example, few knew the significant back pain President John F. Kennedy endured during his political career. Mike Wallace , correspondent on 60 Minutes, has endured depression for many years. He recently revealed it, even though he is in his eighties. You probably have known someone a long time before you knew how much pain they endured as a child, for example.
Many types of abuse, abandonment, and loss are pains that most of us have experienced. It may be child abuse or spousal abuse, abandonment from parents or children, loss of a dear person in our life, or even the loss of our life savings. There are different degrees, but the common denominator is pain.
One of the physical pains I endure, at least once a month, is a migraine. I use the same scale for migraines that is used for hurricanes -- tropical depression to Category V. With a tropical storm to a category II or III, the pain can be intense, but I get a sense that it is going away. If a migraine gets to a category IV or V, I begin to think seriously about euthanasia. The pain is so intense, my mind tells my body it is not going away. Praise God for Imitrex!
The tragedies of life could be scaled accordingly. When a person experiences a category IV or V, the intense pain will eventually pass, but the house has left the foundation. It will never be the same.
What do we do when pain strikes hard? The only place I know where to go is God. Everything else I do, just gets me in more trouble. Drinking gives me migraines, and I know if I drank too much, because of family history I would probably become an alcoholic. Suicide is not an option. I would endure anything for my children not to experience the loss of a parent in this manner. Becoming permanently angry at God doesn't make sense. When pain strikes, I get irritated with God, but I pray for his presence in my life, to help me make it through the difficult time.
I am trying to get to a place in my life where I am thankful for all of the pain and suffering I have endured. During the first eighteen years of my life, I had less control to what was happening to me. As I grew older, I have realized much of the wounds in my life have been self-inflicted. Regardless, I realize now more than ever, I need God in my life. Perhaps, if everything had gone easier in my life, I would have never turned to the Father of all creation. That is a reason to be thankful.
Comfort is available to all who have suffered that turn to God. In return for his comfort we can comfort others. We can be Jesus to someone in pain. Be present, pray, and serve others in their time of need. Love people unconditionally, especially your family! Because so many in our culture have dysfunctional father figures, you may be the person, that because of your actions, they begin to understand the true nature of Father God.
Jesus came so that we could understand the true nature of Father God. Jesus endured the greatest pain (bearing our sins) than anyone has ever experience. Jesus can walk you through the pain in your life. As my friend Lynn Anderson has written, Jesus is available, helpful, sensitive, and creative in the way he connects with people (The Jesus Touch). Read the book of John from the New Testament, with this perspective in mind.
Pain and suffering unites us as human beings, the comfort and healing that can only emanate from Father God, unites us as spiritual beings.
2 comments:
I am currently reading The Problem of Pain by CS Lewis. I love his point that the "bastard" son was left alone to live a fat-happy life, but the son was disciplined to make sure he treated his inheritance in a worthy matter.
Sometimes we struggle seeing the hand of God in pain and sometimes it is a device of Satan, but our God is there and will pull us through....He Loves US!!
David,
I needed to read your thoughts today. Thank you!
My husband will be searching for a job (again) as his is highly unstable. The pain of being unsettled, with only my meager income is unsettling.
I have to see God in every situation in my life and that is my source and my strength. The pain is still there, but my goodness, where would I be without God?
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