The pain of life

THE PAIN OF LIFE
An act of disobedience and rebellion took away the blessing from all created things. Eve was to suffer pain in childbirth. Adam was to suffer the pain of toil and hardship in tilling the land. The land also lost its blessing and brought forth thorns and thistles. Death had now become part of the experience of mankind. But the curse would not stop life from coming, it just meant that life would come forth in pain and sorrow. Even the growth of a plant involves darkness and struggle before it bursts through to fruitfulness and then to bring re birth and new growth.

Romans 8:28 The whole creation groans with birth pangs waiting for the manifestation of sons of God.

We live in a world of pain and suffering. People don’t generally welcome this reality, but we generally agree that it serves certain purposes. Pain in the body is a signal that something needs attention. Pain and suffering press us into prayer for ourselves and for others. These things have real meaning and significance, while on another level People go through pain and stress to compete in sport and recreation.

However there is a deeper level of the kind of mental and emotional stress of tribulation and affliction that can seem overwhelming and that we understandably find difficult to accept.

There are basically three responses to that deeper kind of pain and suffering.

1. Avoidance and escape – This is a very popular method but simply does not work.
The aim is to kill the pain of life however one can. People can use a variety of different kinds of substances or medications or addictive practices to bring relief, which can often lead to an unhealthy denial of any underlying problems. These avoidance and escape mechanisms only bring temporary and uncertain relief and mostly lead to a cycle of further unnecessary pain and suffering.

2. Restraint and containment of the soul.
There are many self improvement disciplines, and other mindfulness practices to develop control of the soul, that bring a detachment from harmful emotions and appetites. Some of these (like AA) have proven very helpful for people in recovery programs. There are also religions and movements that are devised to promote freedom from suffering.
An example of a religion that is fiercely devoted to relief from personal suffering is Buddhism.
Buddhism promotes the four noble truths;
a) Life is about suffering physical and emotional.
b) Suffering is caused by craving and wrong desires.
c) Suffering can be overcome and happiness can be attained by detaching oneself from useless craving and learning to live each day at a time, seeking to attain ‘Nirvana’. 
d) The Noble 8-fold Path – the attributes that lead to the end of suffering.  Right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulnessand meditation, right concentration.
However detachment without attachment can go off into a separated self focussed state of mind.

3. Christianity is spectacularly different. Pain and suffering bring forth the powerful and loving new life given to us through and from Christ. This is more than simply relief from suffering. This is our experience of a risen life that comes through the cross bringing an inner peace that passes all understanding, the true peace of being in oneness with God and in true unity with others.
The pain of life will either become transformed in us or transferred to others.

Pain and sorrow isolate people because who can share it?
Answer = Holy Spirit bears it and shares it.
Paul touched the groaning of the Holy Spirit for us in his prayers for the transformation of the lives of people under his care.
Galatians 4:19 I travail in birth till Christ is formed in you. (also Romans 8:25)

The pain of life is a consistent reminder that we have hope of new inner growth.
Romans 5:3 we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Jesus Christ was born through pain, first in the natural and then in the spiritual through his mighty death and resurrection. Jesus invites us to follow him in his acceptance of the necessary suffering that leads to resurrection life. This is what it means to share the fellowship/relationship of the suffering of Christ and the power of his resurrection. We receive from God the embrace of loving comfort and endless hope.

1 Peter 5:10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

2Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
This is so different to Buddhism or anything else. Paul does not focus on his weakness, he focuses upon the power of Jesus and he can be joyful as he humbly acknowledges his weakness in his own pain and suffering.
So if we suffer with him we are also glorified with him. Where he goes we go. There is no other way.