Pain Has a Purpose and a Cure

Half the pain of pain is not knowing its purpose.
Half the pain of pain is not knowing its cure.

Imagine suffering the pain of an operation, knowing the incision will soon heal and the operation will obtain a cure. This is pain you are supposed to feel it is intentional, purposeful. You want this pain.

You face the operation willingly, in fact gladly and endure the pain, though perhaps hating it at the same time. You know the pain brings the cure, like cauterizing a wound, like the scene in “Papillon” with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman.

The whole point of all the pain in the world caused by sin and sickness is simply this: to provide a means by which we may recognize and embrace our greatest desire, which is that all pain would go away and we would live happily in paradise.

If we embrace our pain we will find our greatest desire and in embracing that desire, we will find a promise from God to fulfill it: Paradise with him and Jesus is the way.

That’s the purpose, the cure, hope in Jesus and his promise for you. Don’t be distracted by other offers. No matter how seemingly good, a spouse, children, a fulfilling job, a decent pay-cheque, an enjoyable retirement, none, can fulfill our deepest desire, none should derail our investment of hope in Christ.

It’s easy. The biggest and worst problem in the world, sin and suffering, has an easy answer, so easy the self-impressed will never grasp it, love it, only the childlike, only the sick, will.

Mark 2:17 It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

Mark 10:15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.