Embracing Pain

The heaviness of the heart can sometimes make us lose sight of what we really need. In pain, I have often longed for something new, something different or something old; anything but the present moment. It is in the moments of your deepest pains and the dissatisfaction of your greatest longings that you are able to sigh and with a heavy voice say, “Christ, you are all I need.”

To be human is to be acquainted with the nuances of living. It is in living that we get to experience our greatest joys and our greatest pain. As a young 22-year old immigrant, I have experienced an abundance of joy and pain. It is human to go through both. I have experienced the joy of being in a family and the pain of being in a family that’s broken. I have experienced the joy in being alone and in equal measure, pain due to loneliness. I have experienced the joy of being independent, of finally moving out on your own and starting a life independent of curfews and restrictions. I have experienced this while also going through the frustration of being away from those you love, afraid that you are exposed and unprotected and worried if your previous relationships will ever be the same.

I have found that oftentimes the house with the strongest foundation occupies the space where the storm rages the strongest (Matthew 7:24 -27). This is the reality of living. Immensely indescribable joy is often accompanied by significantly inexplicable pain. It is in the context of this though that we are able to offer our joy and our pain as a living sacrifice. It is in the context of an intense emotional experience that God can be most glorified by our praise. Take your pain, your greatest pain, and give it to Him. Take your joy too. This is what Jesus did for us and before us. The beauty of the gospel story is that we have a Messiah who is not indifferent to our pain. We have a Saviour who has suffered as incredibly as we have, a priest who has already gone to the high place on our behalf. And so now when I go through my greatest pain, being friend-zoned (I’m sorry I just single-handedly ruined the whole article haha). When I go through my greatest pain, I will remember that the punishment that brought me peace was on him, that his wounds really do heal me (Isaiah 53:5). Please take the time to study Isaiah 53. Find encouragement in knowing your Saviour before you went through pain and bore all of your anguish on himself that he would make you whole. For the hurting, it's ok, Jesus hurt too. Grace and peace.

Please read Isaiah 53:1-12.

'What a Saviour' & 'Remembrance' by Hillsong.