Is Pain a message from God?
So if its not my fault is the pain a message from God? C S Lewis says, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." Some Christians, think that pain disorders are a way that God is punishing people for wrongdoings. To me physically its a message that we are human, and thus capable of suffering. If it is a message what is God trying to teach me with all these differing types of pain? Philip Yancey, in his book titled Where is God When It Hurts, addresses this concern by stating that,"It's possible these people have it all wrong. Maybe, God isn't trying to tell us anything specific each time we hurt. Pain and suffering are part of our planet, and Christian's are not exempt. Half the time we're sick from too little exercise, poor diet or germs. Do we really expect God to go around protecting us whenever we encounter something dangerous?"
Does God cause our suffering?
So, If it is not our fault that we are sick, and it is not a divine message. Then did God cause our suffering? Well it would not be the first time he has caused humans to suffer, there were numerous times in the old testament and He did cause Jobs' suffering over a bet with Satan (a story to dive into at another time) So God being the cause isn't out of the question right? That was really troubling to learn. So does God cause our suffering? Realistically though it's just unlikely. It's more probable that we genetically modified our food source, or are plagued by bad genetics. Philip Yancey, gave the best description for this answer, “Is God somehow responsible for the suffering in this world? In an indirect way, Yes. But in this way, although God created all things it does not mean he intended for suffering to happen. When a parent teaches a child to ride a bike the child will fall, but it’s a learning element; it’s very different from the parent pushing them off the bike.” Although at any moment God could step in and stop the destructive nature of sin, and violence, he normally does not." I learnt in a Doctrine class in college that while A) Nothing occurs beyond his permissive will, and B) all occurs in keeping with His ultimate plan. Acts 4:27-28. Either way it is outside of our hands, thus it is up to God’s prerogative whether I am healed by miracle or remain sick. Looking at the larger picture though whether I remain sick or am healed both are for his glory.
So what happens when God does not take away suffering, when he allows it to happen to you?
It sucks. When I was first sick and he allowed it to happen to me, I would wait till the house was empty and yell at him. If I'm honest sometimes I still do. He’s a big God he can take it. At the beginning I was feisty, uneducated and I didn’t understand, why me. And the temptation when your sick is to stay home in pain alone. To not go out, to not push your boundaries, to not try. But, if you stop trying, you stop knowing how much further you can go, and soon your no longer able to go very far because the muscles you stop using you may lose. I got very sick very fast and that sucked but that's not how my story ends. I wasn't sure if I could have kids and still manage life while having multiple types of chronic pain but now I have them and it's good. I have more good days then bad. I've found ways to manage my life in new ways. You don't have to shrink inside of yourself and suffer alone. We can be brave and stronger together. We can find new ways to do life.
The more I learned in school, I recognized that I was asking the wrong question, it's not why me, but why not me. Sometimes it is more necessary for the rest of church that we who have the chronic conditions and that we remain within the body of Christ (phil. 1:22-24). That we go through conditions that seem cruel and unfair. And you know what, even Paul says its okay to be torn between earth and the idea of no more pain. Its completely understandable, given the depths of the suffering. But regardless of what we want it is far more necessary for the kingdom of heaven that we remain here.
That’s why Paul says that, "It is far more necessary for you that I remain." You may think it's better to depart and be with Christ, but as long as you remain in the body, your family and friends have something to learn. Something of eternal importance.”-Joni Eareckson Tada
Yet, if we never go out, or share about what we’re going through, how can they ever learn anything from us. If we never share our burdens, or go anywhere aside from home and town how can the body help us? Does it even know that part of it is sick or dying? We may assume that they can not handle our burdens, but only God knows how they will respond to different events. Or, how others will respond to our lives, as he made us, and knows they're inner most being. We can not make an impact on the lives around us if we keep ourselves apart from them. Pain and suffering is the gift that nobody wants and so it is made so much harder to bear alone. And, to make matters worse, others may feel like they might say the wrong thing to us. But, there are great tools now like empathy cards to help bridge gaps, or just to show you care. Our mandate as Christians to come along side those suffering and help to ease their burdens. And, Until being apart of our life group I’ve never felt that the church cared about our suffering, our that sharing my story could or would help but maybe it can..somehow I feel like now is the right time.
~Elysia B
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