Love and Pain

“There is no love without pain.” 

                                         -Irving Stone-

Love and pain.

            Such small words, with such enormous importance.

            Intertwined.  Connected.  Inseparable.

            These words go hand in hand.

            Why do we feel pain?  Because we love.  Why do we love?  Because without love life is completely and utterly void of any meaning.  Could it then be that life is meaningless without pain? 

            The greatest example of these words’ connection is Christ’s death on the cross.  Ultimate love resulted in ultimate pain.

            We hurt when someone we love calls us a name.  We hurt after that awful breakup.  We hurt when a loved one dies.  Why?  Because we love.

            Now you may say at this point, “Why then do I want to love?”  The answer is because we are called to follow Christ’s example.

            Christ’s love was endless.  So endless, that He took the sin of an entire world so that, “if we believe in Him we will not perish but have everlasting life”.  (John 3:16)

            DO NOT GIVE UP ON LOVE!

We hurt because we love, but we should never give up on love because God never gives up on us.  It’s disgusting the things we do to God.  I don’t think anyone has to endure more pain for the sake of love than God does.  A world with approximately 7.5 billion people all constantly sinning against Him.  I would think that that would hurt pretty badly.

Jesus’ ministry was the greatest out of anyone that walked on the earth.  Why?  Because He had the greatest love for others.  Did He get hurt?  Most definitely!  Jesus was fully man.  He had the same emotions that any other human has.  And through it all, what did He do?  He kept on loving.  Loving so much that He died for us. 

            Love and pain develop character more than anything else.  Great people are those who get hurt, but afterwards pick themselves up, wipe the dirt from their clothes, and keep on loving even if it causes more pain.

Again, Jesus is the best example of this.  More than once the people He loved abandoned Him.  Judas, one of His closest friends, betrayed Him.  Through it all He kept on loving.   Jesus’ life was more fully lived than anyone else’s ever has or ever will be.  Why?  Because He loved the most.

The fullest life you can live is a life spent loving others.  I can guarantee a life spent this way will bring sorrow and pain, but it will also bring the best times of your life.  So much joy and happiness will come from a life lived in this way.  And in the end, it will be so worth it.  In the end, all will be perfected and there will be no more sorrow or pain, but man, there will be a lot of love.