The Beauty of Pain....

I had one of those moments this past week, a moment in which, your life flashes before your eyes as you stand up and ready yourselves preparing for the worst. The circumstances will remain anonymous but the lessons learned will not. As I was waiting to hear the news, preparing for the worst my thoughts and emotions through prayer, embraced the beauty of pain. Quite a paradox is it not. How can something so horrid and painful be beautiful? How can life's tragedies become circumstances that are meaningful, bringing about growth and maturation in one's life?

When we face pain and/or a crisis in our life, we have choice. Either we can avoid the danger that will inevitably come our way or we can embrace it as an opportunity. The beauty of pain occurs when we see it as an opportunity for growth and maturation in Christ. The beauty of pain occurs when our character becomes more and more Christ like.

In 2nd Peter 1, Peter talks about "virtues" or characteristics of a Christian. Although these virtues are presented in a linear fashion we are not to assume that we to build one upon the other. Rather we are to embrace them all as we seek to develop a character that is modeled after Christ himself. Peter having already established the faith and the virtue and necessity of knowledge (v.3) so that we may discern right from wrong ads the virtue of self-control (v. 5). After self-control, he adds perseverance (v.6), which is what gives the Christian the will and power to remain and endure life despite its tough times. Peter adds to perseverance the virtue of godliness (v. 6), which is the direct result for a Christian when they patiently endure and preserve through trials. Upon godliness, Peter adds brotherly kindness (v. 7) or a fondness of those in the body of Christ and fellow partakers of the ‘divine nature’. Finally, Peter wraps all the virtues together with mention of the ultimate virtue, love (v.7). Notice that in the midst of our character development we are to choose to view pain as an opportunity to grow so that we may persevere through tough times as we mature in Godliness.

Viewing a crisis, as an opportunity is easier said then done. It takes a divine power and presence in ones life to embrace pain as we let go of all power and control becoming fully dependent upon God as He lives in and through us.