What Does Your Pain Say?
January 9, 2025 | by: Dale Thiele | 0 Comments
Posted in: Pastoral Encouragement
C.S. Lewis writes in The Problem of Pain, “We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. 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.” This is a creative way to simply say, God speaks to us in our pain. This does not mean we ought to throw ourselves into pain; pain is inevitable in this world subjected to the futility of the curse on sin. Our response in pain ought to be to listen. What is God saying to us in our pain?
David wrote Psalm 62 out of an experience with pain. He writes in verses 3-4, “How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence? They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse.” In this situation, David’s pain was the result of the hurtful words and actions of a group of people. We don’t know the specific situation, but we do know that David was attacked by others throughout his life. We all know the pain of personal attacks. Such pain can consume our minds and hearts, leading us to be distracted and melancholy, if not worse.
In Psalm 62, however, David does not wallow in his pain and misery. He listens to God in the midst of the pain. The psalm is a journal entry of the lessons David learns from the pain he experienced. Let me catalog the lessons.
- God Alone is our Refuge. David uses the Hebrew word for “alone” four times in verses 1-6 to speak about God (ESV translates it “alone” three times and “only” once). He is emphasizing the uniqueness of God as the only one who can save and protect his people. David uses some of his favorite words to describe God in these verses. He says God is his “rock” and his “fortress” (v. 2 & 6; cf. Ps. 18:2). Both of these words highlight the strength and protection God provides. David’s pain taught him that “God alone” is worthy of his soul’s waiting and trust.
- Human Strength Will Always Fail. By way of comparison with the uniqueness of God’s protection, David declares the barrenness of human strength. In verse 9 he says, “Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.” In this verse, David emphasizes the weightlessness of mankind. We are weak, frail, and temporary. Like James says in the New Testament, “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (Jms. 4:14). David has learned from his pain that human strength is fleeting and, therefore, untrustworthy. This leaves God alone as his refuge.
- Our Sense of Significance is Rooted in God Alone. In verse 7 David adds an extra word in describing God. He says God is his “glory.” This is different from the other words that emphasize the protection God provides. The Hebrew word for glory literally means weighty or heavy. It speaks about the weight of one’s significance. For example, if the king of Britian walked into a room, the attention of everyone in the room would be captivated by the weight of his presence. When David calls God his “glory,” he is saying that nothing he owns, nor anything he has accomplished, adds to his sense of significance. His pain has taught him that the “things that are seen are transient,” and thus insignificant (2 Cor. 4:18). His pain has taught him that God is his most valuable treasure.
- God Wants Us to Pour Out our Hearts to Him. In verse 8 David turns to speak to the congregation. He says, “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” This is the practical application of the lessons learned in pain. God is a rock; therefore, he is trustworthy. We express trust in God by pouring out our hearts to him. This is the essence of prayer. Paul says in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” In other words, do not hold your concerns in your heart, but pour them out to the Lord. “Because he cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).
If C.S. Lewis can say pain is God’s megaphone to the world, I want to say your pain is God’s personal theology devotional written to you. God wants to teach you about himself through your pain and he wants to instruct you in how to live in light of who he is. God is a rock. Therefore, trust him and pour out your heart to him. Are you learning about God from and through your pain?
