Pain (part 1)

As much as we would love not to, at times we all experience pain. This may be physical pain, emotional pain, etc., but we all experience it at one point or another. Sometimes it's minor, other times it's severe. We never know for sure when it will hit, but we know it will happen sometime.

A lot of people question this, though, saying "Why would a perfect and just God allow this?" Well, there is no definite answer (at least, not that I am aware of) but I believe there are some very good possibilities.

The first is simply the introduction of sin. I don't believe we were ever supposed to feel pain, as long as we were without sin. Obviously, we know that didn't last long. In Genesis, the Bible explains that because of Adam's sin, he (and men after him) would endure the pain of labor. Because of Eve's sin, she (and women who followed) would experience great pain during childbirth.

This isn't to say that the pain you are experiencing is directly caused by sin. The truth is, only God Himself knows why pain is allowed. I'm sure scholars and theologians have debated this question for centuries. I am neither of those, so I can only go based on my faith and the knowledge I have.

Since we know that we can't always avoid pain, I believe we should focus on what we can learn from it. In many cases, it is telling us that something needs to change. Pain is the result of signals sent from the area to the brain to alert us to a problem. These pain receptors tell us when something is burning, has been overused, or something else. We can take this idea and apply it to other forms of pain.

Emotional pain be caused by so many different things - failures, disappointments, ending of relationships, the list goes on. I am a big advocate for counseling and other therapy to deal with this type of pain because many times, we alone cannot be sure of the reason we hurt.

The reason I bring this topic up is this: I have been in a lot of pain lately (of various types) and I continue to find healing in God and His word. I know that the pain in some cases is making me stronger and in others is just something I have to deal with. I may not understand why until I am in heaven, but according to my faith, I know that God is in control and will never let me go through more than I can handle.

Pain, anxiety, stress, etc. may be the common theme for the next month or so because that is what I have had to deal with for the past few months. There is so much that I have learned from it, though. I plan on having more on this tomorrow when I can concentrate a little more (I have been in a lot of pain this evening, so I am praying for a much better day tomorrow).

God bless,
Kenny