Is Pain Essential for Learning?

Maybe I'm alone in this thought... Maybe not... Maybe I'm wrong even, but I'd like to share my thoughts with you.... :)

Quite often, I see quotes that say we cannot learn to enjoy happiness without first suffering sorrow, we cannot enjoy peace without first suffering anxiety and fear, loss is required for gain and pain is essential for learning... and, even worse, many say that God wants it this way!!

I am in horror at the thought that my loving God, my Creator who delights in me might desire for me to suffer in order to learn a lesson in life... Now, sometimes, I chose the hard path, sometimes I make it difficult for myself and yes, God uses those circumstances to help me learn and to help me grow, but I don't believe they are necessary unless I make it so.

See, God always starts our lessons the easy way. He speaks to our hearts, He gave us the Bible with lessons from hundreds of people in history to teach us... we don't have to learn the hard way - others already have! It is only when we don`t listen to Him, when we aren't paying attention, that we veer off path into the hard way.

There are also times that we are pushed into the hard way that we slip there or are tricked there because, let`s face it, we live in a sinful world. Others have some say in the circumstances of our lives. When we look at victims of abuse and trauma, we know that they have been pushed into their difficulties, forced into their pain, tricked into suffering and they are not to blame! Perhaps God was speaking to their hearts to avoid that moment, to stay out of that relationship, to change their course but they weren't able to hear it. Perhaps Satan just leapt out and pushed them into the mire...

Sometimes, the pain and suffering is just a result of living in this sinful world. Sometimes it means nothing other than the plain fact that we live here... a reminder that Christ has promised to return and END THE SUFFERING. Other times it is a lesson... and always, ALWAYS, He can make it turn into a blessing, God can always use it for the good of mankind, for MY good, for YOUR good. That doesn't mean He sent the suffering. If we but ask, He provides the way of escape, He provides peace in the midst of the storm and always He carries us through it!

If God was the one who decided we couldn't learn anything unless it was from pain and suffering, then when we get to heaven, wouldn't it follow that we would have to continue learning in that  manner? Yet, the Bible is very clear that when He returns, He will end all pain and suffering, tears and sorrow will be no more, sin will never again exist.

Don't believe that God has sent horrible things into your life. Trust that He can and will turn them into a blessing, turn them into something for His glory and good, but HE WILL NOT cause your suffering. When Christ was on earth, people couldn't touch Him without receiving healing and life. He is the Prince of Peace, Mighty Counselor, Light of the World, Giver of Life... those are in direct contradiction with bringer of sorrow, harbinger of doom, father of disaster. The two titles cannot and do not belong to the same person. They never will.

I invite you to dance with Him. I promise that He will never lead you astray, He will never deliberately bring disaster into your life but will carry you through it, making sure His dance steps put Himself in the worst path and swinging you over the holes and pits. I don`t promise that life will be easy or that suffering will end, but I promise it will be easier when your hand is in His.