Pain and Purpose
- Michael Haldas
- Apr 11
- 5 min read
Quotes of the Day for April 11, 2025 – Thoughts on working through the pain
“We find Job asking four great questions that confront us all [Job 10:1-18]. When he speaks “in the bitterness of my soul” (vs. 1), he has entered the arena of pain that each of us must face, and which forces us to ask what life is all about. These looming “whys” always are present, but they bide their time as long as we can push them into the background. We focus on our marriage, family, career, social life, parish or civic activities, amusements, and friends to keep these gnawing questions at bay. We think we are free to enjoy what pleases us and thus evade the inquiries born of pain. But our diversions prove to be temporary.” (Dynamis 8/4/2019)
“Because of our own passions and the brokenness of our world of corruption, the struggle for faithfulness inevitably requires suffering, but not as though pain were somehow pleasing to God in and of itself. Such suffering results from the inevitable tension we experience in embracing the struggle to offer ourselves fully to Christ. Truly taking up our crosses means fighting the difficult battle of confronting our own personal brokenness each day as we reject thoughts, feelings, and habits that would keep us focused on serving ourselves and the false gods of this world.” (Fr. Philip LeMasters)
“…pain has no metaphysics in and of itself. What I’m saying doesn’t mean that someone who’s in pain becomes a saint; it doesn’t mean someone in pain becomes a better person. Pain, in and of itself, can’t do that. Of course, one man may become kinder, repent, and change, but there are people whom pain makes crueler, breaks their hope, knocks them to their knees, and even makes them atheists. It’s important what meaning you give to your suffering. You have to find the meaning of your suffering…When we attempt to move on without fully processing or resolving painful feelings around an event or situation, this pain can disrupt our spiritual life. As much as we attempt to will away a memory or convince ourselves that everything is fine, aspects of our unconscious mind hold onto them, refusing to move on until we gain some sense of understanding or mastery of the experience.” (Fr. Charalampos Papadopoulos, Fr. Joshua Makoul)
“For a Christian enduring pain and sorrows turns out to be a blessing from God if he bears this cross courageously. Then pain and sorrows sanctify his life, because through them he realizes his own weakness and the need for God’s help. Through the feat of prayer, abstinence and patience the old man of our being will gradually decay, whereas the new one, supported by the grace of Baptism, will give himself up more and more to the service of others, following the example of Christ Himself.” (Metropolitan Serafim Joanta)
“But the question also isn’t whether we will feel pain, but why it’s worth experiencing pain. The question isn’t whether I’ll experience pain—forget about it, there is no such question—but what is it worth experiencing pain for. What will I suffer for? Why did the saints endure all tortures, torments, and persecutions? Precisely because they answered this fundamental question: “For Whose sake will I experience pain?” And they chose pain for the sake of love for Christ. They gave everything for God’s love; they were ready to suffer for the sake of this love. Of course, they weren’t afraid of pain, because they knew that it’s a reality of life. Therefore, it’s very important for us to soberly understand: What is this value? Who is this person? What meaning do we put into our lives? And why is there meaning in pain?…any type of emotional or physical pain can bring spiritual benefit when approached in the right way.” (Fr. Charalampos Papadopoulos, Robin Phillips)
“God would not allow anyone to go through anything painful and heartbreaking without desiring to ultimately use that for His larger purposes. Somehow there was a larger purpose and all we could do was submit our pain and suffering to Him and ask Him to use it as He wished to use it and know that He would.” (Eric Metaxas)
“The Lord prompts us to remain encouraged even in the midst of overwhelming trials and afflictions. Despite all the contrary purposes and plans of men, He gives firm assurance. As Saint Nikolai of Zicha says, “All that happens to [us] at the hands of men, happens for [our] profit and to the glory of God.” (Dynamis 4/8/2019)
“The Lord does not send suffering to the servants of God without a purpose. It tests the genuineness of our love for God the Creator. Just as athletes win crowns struggling in the arena, Christians are perfected by the trial of their temptations if they patiently and gratefully accept what God sends them.” (St. Basil the Great)
“All roads lead to us becoming more like Jesus. The connection between our healing and our ultimate purpose of being conformed into the image of Christ is that God will use this occasion—your emergency or crisis—as an opportunity to help you become more like Jesus. This means that despite your pain, suffering, or disability God’s greatest priority is not that you be physically or mentally healed. It’s that you become like Christ.” (Eric M. Hill)
“Longsuffering can be salvation only if our salvation in Christ includes a lifelong process of maturing.” (Orthodox Study Bible, 2 Peter 3:15) “…our comfort comes from God especially in tribulation (2 Cor 1:4). Christ suffered as we humans suffer; He understands our sufferings because He fully endured human pain. Hence our afflictions become co-sufferings, assuring us that even pain has meaning and holy purpose.” (Dynamis 8/2/2018)
“The pain and suffering, we experience are unique to our own person, and so are the myriad lessons they teach us. Out of their depths, however, come common treasures which can strengthen our character, sharpen our understanding, and order our priorities aright. For each of us, therefore, no suffering is without purpose. God allows us the experience of suffering in the hope that we will then share with others what we have learned, and become a source of blessing and help to them. Let us be open to God's comfort so that in the good time of his choosing, He can then comfort still others through each of us.” (Rev. Andrew Demotses)
“Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.” (Viktor E. Frankl)
“We are a connected people. In a time of radical independence we long for connections. We want to be a part of something bigger. We look for meaning and purpose.” (Fr. John Zeyack)
“The purpose of your suffering and pain isn’t always immediately clear. Often it takes time, patience, and fidelity to God in prayer and obedience for purpose to reveal itself. But once it does, it becomes the fuel that drives the engine in your life to turn your suffering and pain into something that benefits others because you want to share how God and His love got you through it.” (Sacramental Living Ministries)
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