This is what scares me. The thought that someday (probably in the near future) I’ll face some form of pain that’ll make the most hurt I’ve ever felt in my life pale in comparison. And undoubtedly, this will be followed closely by some other circumstance or situation exceeding the level of suffering experienced by ‘Event X’ let’s call it. It’s all a vicious cycle really. But I guess there’s hope in realizing that with time does come healing... the last time you felt hurt beyond measure doesn’t actually look so bad retrospectively (most of the time at least anyways). Maybe the pain that we face now prepares us for the pain we’ll face later on in our lives, and if we don’t endure the suffering that comes with it, it’ll cripple us for what is to come.
As cliché as it is (there’s a reason clichés exist I suppose), it’s amazing how little we count our blessings. Everyone suffers from their weaknesses—be it physical, mental or emotional—but a lot of the time it can be totally blown out of proportion. The next time your legs ache from standing for too long, think about the person bound to their wheelchair who doesn’t even have the luxury of feeling that pain. Or when your brain hurts from too much study, think of the person whose mental capacity will never develop beyond that of a 12 year-old. Or maybe the next time you feel a little down, you’ll be able to think of the person who’s literally numb to all emotions. Everyone is disabled in one way or another. Some are just more visible than others. How do we respond to this as the body of Christ?
In the midst of fallenness, our view of suffering and pain has been heavily distorted. How is the church coping with the reality of it all? When we take our focus off numbers and buildings and fancy equipment... do we notice the people around us? Do we care to share in their suffering, their pain, their loneliness? Do we notice those who are silently hurting? Do we care to learn from those with physical disabilities? It’s far too easy to just pray for healing and dismiss them off to the corner... but maybe YOU were meant to be their answer to prayer... and maybe YOU were meant to be their healing... perhaps not in the sense of physical healing, but more in terms of just helping them cope with the now-but-not-yet of life.
“Christ reigns, especially in the midst of our suffering.”
Perhaps in this respect, suffering is a gift.
Nothing conclusive... just thoughts in progress... Most of it jumbled... tired thoughts really...
Yup. That is all.
"The praises of the sick and the broken excuse the silence of the healthy and whole." - Rabbi Mosche Hakotun
