Faith Out of Pain

By Gabriel Hanna

I was greatly touched by the events that Jesus Christ went through from His childhood to His ascension to heaven. I was very saddened by His pains, but His suffering makes me feel that we are not alone. Jesus understands what is happening in our lives simply because He came and experienced all the details of our lives. He is our example, and that is our consolation; knowing that God is on our side, because He experienced our grief and joy. Here we need to reflect on this fact, which is the real answer. Jesus traveled around and set things right. He healed all the many diseases of that time and is able to work and heal our illnesses today.

One of the hardest things we might go through is to doubt that God cares about us and our pain. On the contrary, God cares deeply. He turned His own cross into a blessing and salvation for us. He turned weakness into strength and death into life, and He speaks to us in our sufferings through His word. As we enter the battlefield of life and experience pain, our thinking develops and we grow spiritually, physically, and psychologically, which enables us to help those who need an answer or are in pain. If we have not experienced pain, how can we help others? We would not understand the suffering of others, and we would be weak in our response and assistance. But when we experience pain we know what can help the hurt, and tell them honestly that we understand and empathize, because we have been there, too. We can encourage and strengthen them, we can pray wisely for them, and provide psychological support and help in every possible way.

Pain is a path of strength, and victory is a path of maturity toward being good soldiers ready for battle. A good soldier needs painful training, and so do all of us. Through pain, we grow in knowledge and depth towards the cross to experience the fellowship with Christ in His pain, and move with Him to the power of the resurrection. When the storms hit us, let us trust God’s heart. Jesus warned us before He set off to heaven, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!”

The Coronavirus is not the only disease that has hit the Earth. Diseases have been killing people since ancient times. But even under these health conditions, we have seen God’s hand in many things in our lives. Despite the hardships and pain, we all testify to God’s goodness towards us. Job was confident and hopeful in God in the midst of his suffering. He trusted God, and so God blessed him and made up for what he lost. After his pain, Job admitted: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42: 5).

God did not promise us an easy life, but He promised to be with everyone until the end of days. We work, disciple, succeed, and persevere for the message of salvation for our own benefit and that of others. We do good and turn loss and pain into good for all people. The pain exists but the word of God and the purpose of God has the final say. The love of Christ and His sacrifice for humanity confounds the power of evil and pain and elevates humanity to goodness. The Bible asserts that despite transient phenomena and adversity, good will prevail over evil and pain. God is all good – so loving and so righteous. He is on our side and standing with us in our pain. Let us trust God’s purpose and heart!