Problem of Pain
Here's a thought that I've had in various conversations with university students, colleagues, and various other people. Actually, it's been written about for some ages now, most notably to my knowledge by C.S. Lewis. These are my initial thoughts on the problem of pain in human existence.
It is altogether possible (and seemingly inescapable) that God intends for us to experience pain in life. In Jeremiah 29:11, God tells the people exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon that he has "plans to prosper you and not to harm you." Many people extend that verse to refer to all people who try to follow God. They insinuate that God wants to bring us abundant blessings in life once we try to have faith in Him. I believe this to be true; however, I believe that part of receiving those blessings is to experience pain and hardship.
God will bring you abundant blessing, but be ready for some trouble along the way. I believe this to just be a general fact of human existence.
I've pointed out this particular verse from Paul's Letter to the Roman Church to my students before: "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons...For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." (Rom. 8:22-25)
I believe that Paul points out something very important here, and this is actually also a very Buddhist argument. How do we know happiness without sadness? How do we know pain without pleasure? How do we know hope if we never experience loss of hope?
Is it altogether possible that God puts us through the problem of pain so that we know true joy and blessing when He brings it to us? Is this life really an example of the pains of childbirth that Paul refers to? Are we going through these pains in a process of becoming spiritual "adults"?
2 Comments:
Although I have experienced more pain in my life than the average person, I don't consider myself an expert.
What I do know, is that pain isn't automatically bad and doesn't mean that you have been abandoned by God. And I would like to add that pain can bring us to a closer understanding of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
One of the problems I find in the modern evengelical church is that we are taught that experiencing God's presence is always warm and fuzzy. But in the Bible that certainly wasn't always the case. In Genisis 32:22-32 Jabob wrestles with God and is hurt,and in Isaiah 6:6 Isaiah tells about a seraph touching his lips with a burning coal to atone for his sins. He doesn't comment on whether it was a pleasent feeling or not but I'm sure it hurt as much as one would expect.
In regards to physical pain, I have experienced that healing can be more painful that the initial injury and that God's healing hand on my body isn't going to automatically feel "good". But I trust that God knows what He is doing a thank Him for His Son Jesus for suffering for me on the cross and with me at the present moment.
-Pam
I, of course, a newcomer to this blog, but the author does not agree
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