I have to believe that one’s writing comes best from one’s experience. And my experience as of late (while recovering from knee surgery) has been encountering pain and the cessation of that encounter through the use of pharmaceuticals. Pain is a funny little thing. A little poke-in-the-ribs (or knee) reminder that indeed we are mortal. And yet, this is something we try to escape all of the time. There are pain relievers for every little ache and pain available over the counter for $1 or less. There is a commercial on TV every fifteen minutes on how to relieve what is ailing you at that exact moment. One of the most lucrative industries in the United States today is anti-depressants. It seems we are trying to use everything we can to escape from one of the things that is a part of the natural human experience. Don’t get me wrong…I don’t like pain. I wish we were rid of it, but could it maybe serve a purpose other than frustrating the human condition?

I believe that pain creates longing. Longing, at times, for the ending of our mortality. For those of us who are in Christ, this end is only the beginning of immortality free of pain. Revelation 21:3-4, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” No more pain…No more pain…That from which we sought escape. That from which we sought relief…is gone! So maybe pain is a stimulus for something greater. Maybe it is a call for longing for that time beyond time when God will be present from man and pain, suffering and death will be no more. So now, maybe before we reach for that pain reliever or other pill to relieve ourselves of our ailments, we can pause for a moment and think about what that day will be like when our mortal pain is no more…