Pain has a purpose

My youngest brother, Arman, once gave me a book entitled “The Gift of Pain” by Philip Yancey. It was an extraordinary book as it discussed the lesser-known phenomena associated with leprosy and how this disease has the absence of pain at its core—the very reason why it leaves the sufferer deformed for life. Without feeling pain, each patient unknowingly destroys their body, removing tissues and flesh from their bones, yet not feeling a thing. Hence, the author, having worked among lepers in his lifetime as a physician, wrote beautifully about the gift of pain. I once read a quote that says, “Your greatest contribution to the world will often come from your greatest hurt.” Though at times we do not want pain and hurt, we realize that it has its purpose, and each painful season shapes us into someone who can mend another’s wounds. After you’ve been through a season of hurt, God can use you to help someone going through the same experience. When Job had this amazing conversation with God during his most difficult time, he wanted to find out from God why he was suffering the way he did. After a lengthy discussion with God, Job did not discover why he suffered, but he saw God Himself, and to him, that was enough. Sometimes we may never know the reason why we are suffering or why we had to go through pain. But through our experiences, we can see the workings of a loving God. This becomes the most satisfying discovery of your life. Can you thank God for your pain?