The Purpose of Pain

The Purpose of Pain

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
-Psalm 23:4

The pain and sting of death is real,
Its stab even the numbest heart will feel.

A life of sin builds a fortress of callousness around a man,
So in love God brings pain to awaken the one who ran.
If it were not for God allowing a glimpse of his wrath,
No man would ever find a way back onto the path.

A fog will forever remain over the eyes of the blind,
And so God paints a picture of pain even the lost can find.
No one can deny his tortuous touch,
No one can survive when he purposely sends too much.

No one can grimace and bear,
No one can stay standing when the loving pain of God is in the air.
He knows that only on our knees can we come to him,
And so he does all he can to weaken our legs strengthened by sin.

The rod we thought was just beating us with senseless blows,
This turns out be the rod that only God’s most loved knows.
For God sends us through the valley of death,
Only so we can be comforted and find our only true Rest.

Indeed, the pain and sting of death are very real,
But what a surprise to learn that God sends it only so he can start to heal.