Every ounce of pain that we are experiencing at this moment isn't for nothing.
Similar to many people, one of my main goals in life is to avoid pain at all costs. Whether it be physical, mental, or emotional pain, I want to make sure I don't have to suffer through it. Despite trying my best to avoid pain, pain seems to be present every day. Due to struggling with chronic physical illnesses and mental illnesses, I'm always having either physical pain, emotional pain, mental pain, or all three.
As time has progressed, sometimes it feels as though pain is my new normal. It is amazing what the human body can do and how God has created us with the ability to adapt. What used to be extreme pain can become a dull ache when we have become so normalized to it. It is also equally amazing to see how God can use our pain to help us grow in our faith.
While God doesn't cause bad things in our life, He can use them for His purposes. This is because God works all things out for our good (Romans 8:28). Maybe we can't see the good right now, but there are beautiful things that God has planned for our future. Every ounce of pain that we are experiencing at this moment isn't for nothing.
God Sees Our Pain
Whenever I'm struggling with immense pain, I normally feel as though God has abandoned me. It is all too common when I get upset with Him and blame Him for my pain. I reason that He can make all of my pain go away with a snap of His fingers, and since He doesn't, that means He doesn't love me. Due to seeing other people living wonderful lives without pain and with gladness of heart, I become bitter and come to the conclusion that God doesn't love me—or at least doesn't love me as much as He loves others.
I would like to say I have overcome these types of thoughts within my growth journey, but they still creep into my mind from time to time. In no way do I claim to be a perfect Christian because I'm not. I have my own struggles and my own shortcomings. I share this with you to help you know that you are not alone if you also struggle with these feelings. It doesn't make us un-Christian; rather, it makes us human beings.
God could heal my pain in a millisecond, but He chooses not to. While I cannot fully understand the reason at the present time, it is most likely because God is teaching me something through the pain. Pain is never there for no reason. Similar to how our body signals pain to our brain when something is wrong, sometimes pain in our life is signaling the same thing to our heart and soul.
However, there are other times when pain is just pain. None of us can escape the reality of hard times, problems, and pain while we are on this earth. What we can look forward to is the day when we will leave this world and go to be with God in heaven (Luke 23:43)—and perhaps that's the purpose in the pain that seems to hold no life lesson at all: teaching us to long for our home in heaven.
Bringing Hope into Darkness
Until we are with God in heaven, we should expect pain. I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but it is something to be aware of. We should continue to pray and ask the Lord for His help and healing; however, we don’t need to expect a painless life. Jesus tells us to expect trouble in this world: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
In this world, we will have trouble, but we can take heart because Jesus has overcome the world. The Lord has also overcome death, sin, and the devil. Jesus is more powerful and more amazing than anyone else. We don’t need to doubt His strength or power. What we are going through is extremely hard and painful, but Jesus understands. He doesn’t want us to suffer and undergo pain, which is why He redeems all heartache in the end.
Jesus brings hope into our darkness and surrounds us with His grace. At my most painful moments, I reflect on Jesus. I pray to Him and ask Him to make the pain go away. Even if the pain doesn’t, I know Jesus is still there with me and the pain will pass. There will be better days in the future where I will smile again. And you too can take solace in this truth.
Allow Jesus to bring light into your life. Even in your pain and suffering, know that Jesus is there. He knows pain as He died on the cross for our sins. Crucifixion is the most painful way to die as the Romans had perfected it to be the embodiment of torture. Rest in the truth that Jesus knows your pain, and He will give you relief.
Don’t associate Jesus with the source of your pain or blame Him for what you are going through. I understand your feelings as I have been in your exact place before, and I find myself there often. We must choose to not believe these lies and rely on what we know. What we know is that God is a loving, faithful, and compassionate God, full of mercy and forgiveness (Exodus 34:6-7).
Pain Isn't the End
There are some days when I feel as though the rest of my life will be nothing but pain. Despite being relatively young, this chronic pain already feels like it has taken a toll on my overall health. No matter how old you are or the pain you are going through, know that this is not the end. This pain will not be the end result of your life. There are still more wonderful things to see and do.
Allow Jesus to give you strength. Reflect on the beauty of His creation and His love. Think about your favorite season, the warmth of a summer breeze, or the smile from your parents. Spend time thinking about these things when pain is high. This too will pass and you will overcome this struggle with the help of the Lord.
You will rise above this pain. All of this is because of the Lord. However, even if it is time for you to pass from this life to the next, know that this isn’t the end. When we pass on to heaven, it is a new start. In heaven, all the bad things we encountered on earth will be gone.
There will be no more pain, death, mourning, or sin (Revelation 21:4). We are moving forward to Paradise, our heavenly home. Pain sometimes will end in death, but death is nothing to fear. There is more pain for the people we leave behind than the pain we will feel when we take our final breath. Until this day comes, we need to continue to grow in our walk with the Lord and follow Him until the very end.
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