The Beauty of Pain

Life is full of pain. I have not known a single person to live a completely pain-free life. Unfortunately, I have been increasingly aware of it during difficult seasons that come and go. Pain comes in many forms, from many outlets. Natural disasters, emotional trauma, relationship tensions, loss, and physical pain are just a few examples of deep hurt that people experience.

The way people respond to pain depends on factors that can be difficult to explain or understand. Deep pain can last a long time and can result in other feelings like anger or revenge. Although there are many responses to pain, I have concluded that viewing pain as productive is essential for healing. Often, I will joke to my friends about “productive pain,” which to me simply means that I strive to grow through my pain so that good can come from it.

Often, in coping with pain, people tend to either be crippled or completely ignore it all together. Either extreme is unhealthy and ungodly. Pain can blind us to truths that are foundational to who we are and can cause our attempts at forgiveness, healing, and restoration to fail. Additionally, ignoring pain or feelings can cause us to miss valuable lessons that God may be trying to teach us.

Finding this delicate balance can be challenging, but looking to the Lord to define “productive pain” is essential. The Lord, who made and controls the entire universe, allows pain into life for a reason. Although we may not find out the reason, we have substantial reason to trust Him.

The pain that my savior, Jesus Christ experienced is unfathomable. Not only did He go through immense pain while being crucified, but He also felt the pain of the entire world, turning it’s back on Him. His death was to bring His beloved people freedom from sin, and they turned their backs away. Jesus’ crucifixion was certainly filled with anguish and grief. Nevertheless, rather than dwelling on his pain or allowing it to cripple Him, He trusted the Lord’s sovereignty to redeem His situation. Jesus’ pain was the most productive pain this world has received. By going through the most painful experience ever, He extended every person an opportunity to be from their sin.

The lesson we learn from Jesus’ pain changes everything. No longer do we have reason to wallow in pain, rather we now have the freedom to fully experience our sadness, anger, and hurt with hope in the midst of pain. We have the freedom to seek God’s reasoning for our pain and use it as an opportunity for growth in our knowledge of Him. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross gives us hope that our pain will not last forever. He lovingly extended a way for us to be reunited with him, and in the midst of pain we cling to that hope. We trust that He is worthy of our suffering because we know that He suffered for our sake. I pray that you would seek the Lord in the difficult seasons you will face, because ultimately He is the one we find hope in.