Pain and Life

This weekend I was reminded of the pain of life. As a pastor, I constantly deal with people in pain. Pain takes different kinds of forms: Physical pain, spiritual pain, emotional pain. No matter what form it takes, pain is often present in the lives of those I try to help.

This weekend, within 14 hours of each other, I tried to help two families who were touched by death. In both cases, a husband and father died and the family was left to pick up the pieces of life. And, death can be very painful — especially when it comes without warning.

I’ve heard all kinds of things about pain and life in my years. You have, too. Statements like: Without pain, we would not know how joy, happiness, and health feel. There are other, similar ideas. But those who know me know that I am WAY to shallow of a thinker to go there.

I do agree with that old saying that “it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.” That is a loose quote from Alfred Lord Tennyson. Today, I know what he is saying. The reason death can be so painful for us . . . the living, those who remain . . . is that we LOVE. And, all in all, it IS better to have had our loved one and to have all the memories we have than to never have loved that one.

Okay, the PLAIN way to say this is: As painful as death is, we should be thankful that we had them to love to begin with . . . That doesn’t stop the immediate pain we are in, but somewhere down the road it gives us a reason to celebrate.

Pain IS a fact of life. God is there to walk us through EVERY STEP of it.