God’s Megaphone (Part 3 of 4)

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” – C.S. Lewis

First thought: If you are currently going through a painful experience, it may be difficult for you to read what I am writing.

Second thought: God does not cause suffering. 

Third thought: It is important to seek and derive meaning in our suffering. 

Fourth thought: Relief from pain and suffering may not be the main Christian answer to pain and suffering.

Here are the next two thoughts.

Fifth thought: Healing from within suffering is as wonderful as healing from suffering.

Lewis Smedes wrote, “Healing from within suffering is as wonderful as healing from suffering. God gives inner strength that compensates for loss, and gives the sufferer resourcefulness to live faithfully and effectively.”

I personally marvel at people whom I know who live in constant pain and do not disclose the presence of pain by the way they live. With God’s help, they have received healing from within their pain and suffering and can live with joy in the midst of their pain and suffering.

Sixth thought: We need to show readiness to suffer alongside the people whose suffering never gets healed.

Professor Smedes wrote that as Christians, we tend to "expect and celebrate God's triumph over our suffering while we show little readiness to suffer for the people whose suffering never gets healed."

We should never shy away from those whose pain and suffering continues in the midst of persistent prayer and exhaustive endeavors at remedy. We should join them in their pain and suffering. We can’t give them answers we don’t have, but we can give them our presence and our support. In other words, we just love them.

Something to think about…