Pain

Pain can be a bitter or a better pill to swallow: 1st Peter 4:19

As we draw closer to Good Friday, we are reminded of pain, specifically the pain Jesus suffered on the cross. When experiencing tragedy, one can turn to or away from God, even though we know God offers comfort and power to make it through a difficult time. How pain affects us depends on how we respond. We can let it make us bitter or turn to God and let the pain make us better.

Jesus didn’t come to explain away pain. He came to share our pain. He is a God who suffers with us. Some Christians think it’s never God’s will for us to suffer and if there is pain in our lives, it means we have done something wrong or we lack faith. This is not biblical. Sometimes we simply suffer. Sometimes, we suffer as part of God’s will. 1st Peter says “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”

Pain is inevitable, it’s part of life, even for a Christian. Our choice is whether we waste the pain. It can make us bitter or better. Maybe you are experiencing pain right now. If so, ask God: “Are you using this pain to guide me in a new direction; to spur me to action; to show me what I need to work on; to guard me from something more painful; to grow me to be more like Christ? If so, help me to trust you more and more.” May our pain be resurrected to new found joy.