Advent Day 19 - Pain has value?

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

           When I was a teenager, we had a practice of putting a pebble in our shoe. We did this with someone particular in mind, it served as a constant reminder of the discomfort they might be going through, the pain that often accompanies growth while that person was on retreat. In another way, it was a willingness on our part to suffer for that person who was object of our concern. Now that all of that seems childish. There is no need and no value in inflicting pain on anyone to show concern. It now all seems bogus. There is more than enough pain in the world without inflicting any on oneself. Self flagellation has thankfully gone the way of blood letting and 'the rack'.

          That isn't to say however that there is no value in pain. Jesus willingly endured incredible suffering for us, he just wasn't standing there begging 'whip me one more time!' It is incredibly disrespectful of the value we place on life and love.

        So where is the value in pain?? Like the poor, pain will always be with us. It is a part of life by accident, by bad choices, illness, malicious hearts and perhaps social sin. Can we try to transform that pain into something of value? Something like this: I do not like this pain, I did not ask for this pain, I would like this pain to cease but while it is present may I offer it up in a willingness to appreciate the pain others may have? May I appreciate in some small way the suffering our savior endured on our behalf? Can we not want pain then but put it to some use however distasteful?

       We all have afflictions of one sort or another. I don't think we are called to enter into that affliction as a badge of honor or as something we can use to have people feel sorry for us. We all know people who always have drama, always have one problem or another. These people are energy suckers. Their negativism is infectious. If we could only endure and transform our pains, we can grow and can appreciate others pain.

          This is the value of pain. Self inflicting is barbaric, wrong hearted and unnecessary. Sadly, pain  will come to us. Embrace what we must, offer it up and know that God is aware of our pain, understands it, cries with us and walks with us on our journey.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ. If we are being afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation; if we are being consoled, it is for your consolation, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we are also suffering. Our hope for you is unshaken; for we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our consolation.