Living with Pain
October 6, 2021
By: Denise Heberlein - Master’s CMHC at Liberty University, Bridge of Hope Intern
Romans 5:3-4 (ESV) “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…”
We live in a world that is filled with pain and sorrow. Everywhere you look, there are hurting people. There is no quick fix, yet people are hurrying to find that one thing that will take the pain away. No one wants to live with pain, myself included. Several times throughout my life I have experienced great pain and wanted it to go away. The pain at times was so dire that I wished my life away so that I would not have to live with the pain.
Having gone through pain, I have learned that God doesn’t want me to always have a pain free life. He expects me to have some pain so that I will learn to live in His presence daily. If we pay attention to the pain, it causes us to stand up and take notice. Pain helps us to realize that we are not alone. God is with us and wants us to rely on His strength.
As believers, we cannot always live on the mountain top. Living on the mountain top continually doesn’t cause us to rely on God, for when everything is going well, we get comfortable and develop a false sense of sense of self-reliance. Then we forget that we need God. When we live in pain, our spiritual life is tested and refined. We may be in the depths of pain, but we are rising to God’s glory when we rely on Him during times of great pain. Strength is fostered in pain. The true grit that it takes to persevere during pain strengthens our mettle to move through the pain to continue to enjoy each day as it comes.
I’ve heard it said that some harsh realities are necessary to us to learn how to maneuver through them. However, the hardships of life are really opportunities to scrape off the parts in our lives that don’t serve God’s purpose, to refine us and to produce God’s character in us. We are being made into the image of God, and that is not a painless process. Rest assured that God is right there in the fire with us as He is creating a new image within us, one that reflects His love and mercy to the hurting around us. The next time a painful situation is experienced, remember that God is working all things out in His timing and according to His good will and purposes. Rest in the comfort that God is always with us in all circumstances. There is a peace and hope that can sustain us in trying circumstances knowing that there is another who walks with us in our pain.