Learning something of the Lord in the presence of pain is far greater than knowing nothing of Him in its absence.  Pain and suffering are chaperones that oftentimes usher and lead us into the knowledge of the divine.  Pain can be, when perceived and received considerately, one of life’s greatest teachers.  But be certain, this teacher doesn’t work cheap.

     And perhaps that is why we refuse pain.  It is human nature to cover, to swaddle, to protect, and guard ourselves from ache and agony.  The precautions we take to avoid pain altogether can lead to a life of fear and constant timidity.  Hans Finzel said it like this, “Making yourself impervious to pain means shutting yourself off from most of the nuances and intricacies of life.”  And the reality is, the “nuances and intricacies” of life is where life actually happens.

     The comfort in pain is knowing that we have a great High Priest who has entered into our fallen, cursed, thorny world.  Pierced and crowned with sorrow, He understands the frailties of the human experience.  He understands what you are feeling right now, today.  Therefore, it is in that pain we have fellowship, communion, and understanding one with another.  Yes, there is comfort in knowing that He who endured the cross did it to feel your anguish.