I’ve been contemplating life’s pain today. Yes … I am tremendously blessed … and my pain is relative to my experience. Your pain may be different – more intense – more challenging to bear … each of us owns our own pain.
But the question arises … why does God allow pain … why didn’t he “cause” all things to work together for our happiness … not exactly what the scripture promises.
Then I ran across this poem … makes good sense … that the paintings of our lives would lack color, depth, perspective without pain.
How blind is he who prays that God will send
All pain from earth. Pain has its use and place;
Its ministry of holiness and grace.
The darker tones upon the canvas blend
With light and colour; and their shadows lend
The painting half its dignity. Efface
The sombre background, and you lose all trace
Of that perfection which is true art’s trend.
Life is an artist seeking to reveal
God’s majesty and beauty in each soul.
If from the palette mortal man could steal
The precious pigment, pain, why then the scroll
Would glare with colours meaningless and bright,
Or show an empty canvas, blurred with light.
~ Ella W. Wilcox
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. ~ Peterson’s paraphrase of James 1:2-4
