Pain is a part of life, especially as we grow older. I am no stranger to pain. People like me who have survived seven and a half decades often say, “If I woke up without any pain at all, I’d think I was dead.” Age brings with it chronic or constant pain that becomes a part of daily life. Thankfully, my pain only activates when I stand and walk. Why do we have to suffer so much pain in this life?
Pain, like so many other things we experience, originated in the Garden of Eden as a result of Adam and Eve’s sin of disobedience. The pain of childbirth was a curse that came as a result of Eve’s disobedience, which she then passed on to her daughters and all of their female descendants. The Bible often likens the pain of childbirth to the great suffering that sometimes comes just before a great blessing. Childbirth is an example of God’s infinite wisdom. If men had to suffer the pain of childbirth, I don’t believe any of us would be here today.
Before the fall, there was no illness, injury or death. After the fall, pain was needed to alert us to serious problems within our body that could eventually kill or cripple us if left untreated. Pain is a very beneficial symptom that can be used to diagnose and treat the source of the problem and thus eventually relieve the pain. Pain definitely gets our attention. We can even find a little humor related to pain. A woman went to her doctor and complained that she felt pain all over her body. She said, “It hurts when I touch my head. It hurts when I touch my arm. It hurts when I touch my leg and it even hurts to touch my toes. What is wrong with me doctor?” Her doctor replied, “You have a broken finger.”
I can testify that chronic pain is no laughing matter. The Psalmist describes it this way, “I am on the verge of collapse, facing constant pain.” (Psalms 38:17) Job described it like this, “At night my bones are filled with pain, which gnaws at me relentlessly.” (Job 30:17)
In addition to physical pain, most of us have experienced mental and emotional pain. Loss, remorse and depression can be just as painful and debilitating as physical pain. Jesus suffered the indescribable physical pain of torture and crucifixion. The term “excruciating pain” comes from the pain of crucifixion. In the Garden of Gethsemane as he faced the pain that awaited him, he also suffered the mental and emotional pain of fear and anxiety. He asked the Father to take that painful experience from him if possible. If not, he would go through it willingly for the will of his Father and the salvation of mankind. Jesus understands all of our pain. His Spirit within us gives us the strength to follow His example and do God’s will in spite of it.
The good news is that as a Christian our pain is temporary. We read in Revelation 21:4, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” I am sharing this good news with you now, because once my pain is gone forever I will not be able to share that experience with you on my blog.