THE BLESSINGS OF PAIN

In the sick world we live in, apparently there are a few people who enjoy experiencing pain, even to the point of paying others to inflict it upon them. Masochism is the psychological term for this mental illness. As horrible as that sounds, those who enjoy inflicting pain on others, known as sadists, are far worse. I would say, without fear of objection, that Satan falls in the last category. He seems to get great satisfaction in hurting people.

In Job, he even attempted to hurt God by attacking His "poster child of faithfulness." Satan tried to prove Job did not truly love Him, and while God allowed him to attack Job's family and possessions, He did not permit him to harm His servant (Job 1:12). When Satan persisted in challenging God, the LORD allowed him to inflict pain on Job, but he was not to kill him (Job 2:6). Through the experience of suffering, Job learned much about himself, and a great deal about God, as well (Job 42:1-6). Pain humbles.

You may have noticed that Satan did not kill Job's wife with the rest of his family, nor did he choose to inflict physical harm on her. I can only think of two possible reasons for sparing her. The least likely of the two is that Satan could not kill her because she and Job were one by marriage (cp. Gen. 2:23-24 w/ Lev. 18:8). The more logical reason would be that Satan intended to use her in his plan to destroy Job's faith (Job 2:9-10). He used the same approach in the Garden of Eden, when he deceived Eve, who then gave the forbidden fruit to her husband (Gen. 3:1-6). In the case of Job's wife, we must remember that she also lost her family and possessions, and it is truly difficult to be spiritual when one is in mourning.

Pain does several things that are good. It causes a child to cry out for its mother to come to its aid. It warns of a physical problem, which left unattended, could result in serious physical limitations or even death. An abscessed tooth can be deadly, and without pain, a person would not know he was in danger. In some cases, pain is a good sign in that it tells us that the spinal cord is not severed. And how many lives have been saved by the warning of a heart attack?

Finally, pain makes us willing to leave these corruptible bodies. I cannot tell you how many people I have known that looked forward to death to escape pain. But a warning is needed, for even though we are told in Revelation that pain will cease to exist for the believer, everlasting pain awaits those who fail to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior (21:3-8). So a little pain today, which brings one to Christ, is far better than the alternative. Thanks be to Jesus Who endured the pain of the cross for us!