day 18. pain

I have it in mind to write about pain. But im not sure why and ive no idea what im going to write. So i suppose id better start with the Bible and see what it has to say on the subject.

I know there are loads of verses about suffering and you know those too. But suffering covers a multitude of circumstances....and i want to drill down specifically into physical pain.

Job is perhaps the person in the Bible who most obviously suffered physical pain for a sustained period of time. Job 30 :16 onwards describes the physical state Job is in, his skin darkening and falling off him, his guts churning...it sounds awful. And the reader knows that it is God who has allowed these diseases to afflict Job in the first place. 

This raises so many questions for me. Jesus tells us we are to heal the sick. But God clearly sometimes allows sickness. Heaven knows no pain and our job is to bring heaven to earth. But pain is still real and massively difficult.  I confess to being perplexed.

As we age society tells us that our lit is to be increasing pain and difficulty.  I dont think I buy into that. It is definitely possible to be a fit, healthy, pain free old person. I suspect that if we lived as God intended, eating natural foods, not being contaminated with chemicals and microplastics, pollution and stress....we would be well. More well than most of us are. But then there are those difficult verses about suffering “I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church” (NLT); Col 1:24.  Paul saw that Jesus suffered bodily and spiritual pain in order to rescue mankind and didnt see why he should be exempt from suffering if Jesus Himself wasnt.  

I have been massively blessed that through all my 60 yrs on the planet i have very rarely experienced pain. Three large babies , a few months of back ache ,one mysterious chronic stomach incident and a few bad migranes sums it up. Ive been ill a few more times but being ill isnt necessarily accompanied by pain.  I dont think that during any of my episodes of pain I was thinking that I was joining with the experience of Jesus on the cross.  I just felt wretched and wanted it to end. I prayed. Which to be fair in most circumstances did not relieve the pain. I took pills. I retreated into myself.  I am deeply thankful that i do not have to live with ongoing chronic pain and i cant imagine what that must be like for those who do.

I find it hard to pray for people who are in pain. I cant find words that dont jyst sound like platitudes. I dont understand why God allows some people to be so afflicted. Especially when pain can push people away from Him. But then again, it can push people into Him too.

No answers today just lots of questions. All thoughts gladly received.

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