Day 2.4: Pain and Suffering

"Joyful persons see with open eyes the hard reality of human existence and at the same time are not imprisoned by it. I believe that I know and share the many sorrows and sad circumstances that a human being can experience, but I do not cling to them. I do not prolong such moments of agony. They pass through me, like life itself, as a broad eternal stream, they become part of that stream, and life continues. And as a result, all my strength is preserved, does not become tagged on to futile sorrow or rebelliousness" - Etty Hillesum

If I don't understand Pastor Prince wrongly, I believe that he feels that pain, sickness and suffering are not in God's plans and that we can pray them away. He is a very powerful and anointed speaker, but this is one of the areas I don't quite agree with him.

Pain and suffering doesn't need to be bad. Life may be extremely hard, but light will always shine in the darkness and death will always bear fruit. There is no rainbow without the rain, right? Pain and suffering brings us to our knees where we connect with Jesus intimately, when we go through the pain and suffering that he went through when he had no reason to. Pain and suffering helps us lose that sense of entitlement, that sense of privilege that even if we are secure in our identity in Christ as the child of the most high, that we live in humility so that in all things, God can be glorified. 

Pain and suffering can lead to gratitude and gratitude and contentment is great gain. There is never a day that cannot be lifted up in gratitude to the giver of life. Pain and suffering is the reason why true joy can be experienced. 

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