Pain

In C.S. Lewis' book The Problem of Pain, he said, "God whispers in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It's His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." Wow!!! What a true statement.

I also find it incredibly sad in a way. Why is it that we have to go through terribly hard times to really hear from the Lord? I don't know why it is. But it really seems like it is only at our most desperate that we hear God speaking truth into our lives. I truly want to get to the point in my life where my walk with the Lord is so consistent and solid that I hear Him as clearly in the pleasure as in the pain.

Maybe this is what Peter meant when he wrote in 1 Peter 5:10 - "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." There is much to be learned in the pain.

Another quote by C.S. Lewis on the subject of pain, "God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain” I love the hope that is in this statement. God foreknew what we would go through. He would give us the battle armor to go through it and although we would feel pain, it would not leave a stain that cannot be removed. Of course, we also have to be willing to go to Him with the pain. Nailing it to the cross. Otherwise our suffering is for naught and completely in vain. Oh my goodness... I never want the suffering and pain to be for nothing!

Just like a caterpillar that must go through pain to emerge from the cocoon as a beautiful butterfly. So must we go through pain to become more like Christ.

Let me embrace it, learn from it, open up to God and move on!!!!!