If I were to choose, I think I would choose a comfortable and easy life. A life with no heartache or pain. I would choose a path where my faith would not be tested too much, where I would never have moments of fear or doubt.
Who would ever want to choose suffering? Who would ever prefer the more difficult path?
But if we are to recall Jesus’ own words in the Bible, it is the path to destruction that is wide while the path to salvation is narrow.
We can prefer the easier path anytime. But if we ever care about where that path leads, we would thank God for leading us down the narrow but safer road.
He knows that by ourselves, we’d run away from every trouble. Yet in this life, there are things that only pain can accomplish.
What does pain do?
Pain opens our eyes to the truth. While comfort may blind us, pain makes us face reality. It paints a picture of our true condition and shows us the danger we are in.
Pain opens our hearts to salvation. While pleasure may keep us busy with fleeting amusements, pain helps us to see our wounds. It paves the way for healing.
Pain opens our hands to receiving help. While riches falsely make us feel secure, pain lets us know how dependent we truly are upon God’s grace. It urges us to cry out for His mercy and generosity.
It is pain that helps us grow in humility, compassion and kindness. It is our wounds that connect us with the vulnerability and suffering of our brothers and sisters.
In this life, you may experience many troubles. Your heart will be broken and your body will ache from illness.
You may often wonder why God ever allows such things to touch His children.
Why God? Why let us suffer and be silent?
God is silent because He knows what pain can sometimes accomplish in our lives. It is because He loves us that He endures seeing us in our struggles.
God’s patience is such that He is willing to wait for the right time for the fruits of our suffering to ripen. Then and only then will He reveal His wisdom.
Otherwise, He knows how deaf and blind we could be. He may reach out to us, but we’d keep on looking the other way.
Have you ever tried to minister to someone and share the Good News?
There is a proper timing for everything.
Even though you want so much to share faith and let the other person taste the heavenly gifts, you must be patient until it is time.
Because we cannot impose our beliefs on others, no matter how wonderful they are.
We cannot force anyone to seek salvation when they feel no need for it in their lives.
But once pain comes and the truth is revealed, a person becomes open to hearing the truth. And a person becomes open to change.
That is what pain accomplishes.
And God allows this pain so that by our wounds, He can enter in.
“For he wounds, but he binds up;
he strikes, but his hands give healing.
Out of six troubles he will deliver you,
and at the seventh no evil shall touch you.
In famine he will deliver you from death,
and in war from the power of the sword;
From the scourge of the tongue you shall be hidden,
and you shall not fear approaching ruin.”
Job 5:18-21 (NABRE)
You may also want to read “How Do You Bear Your Most Painful Sufferings in Life?”
Jocelyn Soriano is the author of Mend My Broken Heart, Questions to God and 366 Days of Compassion. She also writes about relationships and the Catholic faith at Single Catholic Writer.
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