The Problem of Pain

It's a topical subject Pain is.
My neck is still a little sore.
But now that I've found the right box, the Ibuprofen is keeping it under control.

For other people, my solution is irrelevant.
When a husband or wife of many years dies - it is painful.
Some people use alcohol, or sedatives, or other drugs, to dull that kind of pain.
But that type of solution inhibits the healing that is being sought.

Sometimes people try to cope with pains of the heart by blaming others.
Building resentment, or even hate, as a barrier to hurt can reduce the sense of pain. But too often it results in much greater damage - sometimes lifelong damage.

Even God gets the blame sometimes.
If He is so loving and powerful then how could He let me feel this pain.
If God loved me then He would have stopped the painful incident from happening.
It happened - so it must be true that God doesn't love me.

But for God to shield us from pain, he would have to stop us from loving.
Partings happen, be they through death, or choice, or both.
Would we give up all love in order to be pain-free?

God chose not to give up his love for you.
Instead He embraced the pain that our neglect and disobedience caused Him.
He embraced it and won through to the other side.
He knows our pain and He offers us real comfort and healing.
Despair. Anger. Grief. Bitterness. Hatred. Loneliness.
Instead, God offers, Love, Joy, and Peace.

Jesus offers you a shoulder to cry on, and arms to embrace you;
Hands to carry your burdens and feet to walk with you.

Pain - it's a problem.
But sharing it with God brings pain-relief.