What is the Point of Pain and How God Can Use It
Biblical view of pain
Surely, he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:4 NIV
To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” Genesis 3 :16 NIV
Philosophy View of pain
It is associated with unpleasant sensory and emotional experience, or resembles that of actual or potential tissue damage,” In one of my daily thoughts I wrote about wounds. Reflecting back, I thought to myself, in reality where there is a wound there is usually pain, which led me to think about this question. Have we ever wondered what the point of suffering is? Some of us do, for example Job! he wondered why life is even given to those who must suffer, it seems to him that death would be better than his depression. The darkness of depression that surrounds grief or difficulty can be so deep that it seems that no light will ever penetrate, that there is never an end in sight.
Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter? They long for death, and it won’t come. They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure. They’re filled with joy when they finally die, and rejoice when they find the grave. Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties? Job 3:20-23 NTL
I can only imagine how Job felt when he was going thru this painful period in his life. However there was a point to Job’s pain, which at the time I’m sure he didn’t realise. Job learned some lessons through his season of suffering that he probably couldn’t have learned otherwise. I wanted to highlight three things found in the scriptures that he learned while going thru the pain he experienced.
That he had an intercessor and an advocate in heaven who counted his tears, who was able to lift him out of his pain and misery.
Even now my witness is in heaven. My advocate is there on high. My friends scorn me, but I pour out my tears to God. Job 16:19-20 NTL
Job also learned that God is the living Redeemer, who would stand upon the earth at last. Job understood that there was a life beyond the grave and in that life he would have a new body instead of the terribly painful disintegrating one that he was suffering with in the present life. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes I will see Him with mine own eyes. Job 19:25-26 NTL
Job learned that God the creator – the power behind all of nature is the one who cares for the animals He created, they depend on Him and He surely makes provision for them. How much more valuable was Job than the reptiles, birds and animals that his creator would more so care for him.
Conclusion
As Christians it is likely that we will be faced with excruciating pains at some point that might cause us to be depressed. The book of Job lets us know that regardless of what causes us pain in those times if we continue to hold fast to our faith and remember that the God we serve is able to deliver us it will help us to be patient and trust that He will deliver us no matter what.
I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. Job 42:5 NTL
Sometimes we as Christians see God in the dark in a way we seldom see Him in the light. That glimpse of God’s glory, as Job discovered, made a terrible ordeal worthwhile. In other words, God’s presence became more important than God’s protection, God’s presence was enough.
Please read and be blessed!