This Patch of Pain

These last few months have been agonizing at times. Not just for me, but for people close to me…family and friends alike. There has been death, sickness, endings to relationships, insecurity, lapses in judgement, loss of trust, depression, financial strains, and the list goes on. It feels like every time I turn around, I’m hearing another story about someone going through a really hard time.

I often wondered why this is…why is it that so many that are close to me are dealing with so much. While I pondered these things over the past couple months, I was reminded of some things.

  1. It started at the beginning.

    I’m referring to Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve had one rule to follow: don’t touch the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. (Genesis 2:16-17). Except they couldn’t handle that. In Genesis 3, Eve listened to someone she shouldn’t have listened to and ate some of the fruit. However, before the woman-bashing starts, lets not forget the end of verse 6 which states, “Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too” [emphasis added] (Genesis 3:1-6). Way to stand up, Adam. Sheep.

    So, as a result, we get fun things like pain during childbirth, working hard to live, and death (Genesis 3:16-19). Goodbye, perfect world.

  2. Jesus said this would happen.

    This one got me when I was reminded of it. I was at camp attending morning devotions, and the camper who was leading the discussion asked us why bad things happen to good people? My pastor, Joel, said that Jesus said it himself:

    …everyone will hate you because you are my followers.

    But the good news is the rest of that verse:

    But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:13)

Lots of junk is going on. It hurts. I know. I’m experiencing some of it. But there are a couple things I like to remember: a) I serve a God who is bigger than all of it and b) I’m not alone in my struggles or pain. We’re all in this together.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

Read Psalm 91, and be encouraged.

Thanks for reading,
Jon Cole