The Beauty Residing IN the Midst of Pain

“The pain is still there. It bothers me so little now that I feel my soul is served by it.”

― Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)

THERE IS READING we all search for. Sometimes it’s for personal reasons. Other times it’s for the reasons of explanation – and for use in ministry. This article (click here) is the latter for me, but my hope is it fits for the former purpose for you.

I am so captivated by the secret essences of truth ushered forth by the Spirit of God in testimonies of beauty-out-of-pain. They align with my own experience. Great hope is gleaned from these. Let’s now explore such a hope.

There is the warrant of something eternal, something inviting, and something unchanging in a mode of living that judges not the circumstance we ever find ourselves in.

There is the possibility for us all to reside, psychologically, by the agency of deep connection with our own souls, in a place where pain is the very reason of our availing joy: to choose to see the bliss in life, regardless of whatever else there is.

Getting Beyond Feelings of Disgust

There is something potentially distasteful in the doctrine above; something potentially heartless, ignorant, and glib. So, I’m not saying any of this lightly. Trust me if you can.

When I went through a period of life, a decade ago now, where I felt I had lost everything that ever mattered to me, I ironically felt never more potent, because I had flung myself into the arms of God and into caring fellowship with other men. Nothing in my external environment that used to cause me problems even bothered me anymore.

It simply existed without judgment.

Because I had embraced my soul, my struggle, and my sense of separation from what I had lost – because I chose to turn toward my cross and embrace it, as Jesus did – I am sure the door to acceptance was opened to me.

Nothing can defeat us when we choose to embrace our brokenness.

Indeed, that place of loving who we have become – the very cracks for what they are – is the very place of momentary healing. Once we access such a healing once, we then have the wherewithal to do it again and again.

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If pain or trial or broken dreams cannot crush us, what will? There is a safe invincibility of spirit available for those who embrace their brokenness, to call it truthfully what it is: the very manifestation of God’s glory in them – to look at it and to accept it without judgment; to just love it.

© 2013 S. J. Wickham.