In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. But now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies…Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love. Psalm 44:8-9, 26

I’m not very good at dealing with pain. I tend to want to avoid it all costs and do anything I can to insulate myself against it. It is difficult for me to deal with the pain of others as well. I want to fix, solve, relieve or alleviate pain whenever and wherever I find it. In the last couple years my wife has been experiencing increasing pain in her leg. Initially it was a random occasion, which caused her brief annoyance, but lately she’s noticed the pain in a more consistent way. Having visited the doctor she’s discovered that she may have some bursitis and inflammation that is creating the pain. When inquiring about the best way to get over this inflammation the advice usually includes limiting the use of the leg. This is not really possible if one wants to remain mobile. So she does what she can to get the inflammation down to a minimum. But it is a more chronic condition and calls for a new level of endurance. I must admit I’m impressed with how little she mentions it. If it were my experience, I’d be crying like a baby. She’s one tough lady.

Pain reminds us of our mortality and how helpless we can become. Pain humbles us and reminds us that we are not above the fray, but right in the midst of it gasping for a breath. As I watch my wife endure this pain I so want to make it stop. But I am learning that I have no control over her pain, or mine, for that matter. So instead I’m trying to learn the lessons of my pain, especially when it seems to be arbitrary and random. It’s one thing to endure pain from a poor decision or choice, like sitting in the sun all day while refusing to wear any sunscreen.
But when we experience pain that seems random or arbitrary it often calls for a greater patience and endurance.

When I read Psalm 44 I am struck by the fact that the psalmist seems to be a faithful follower of God, yet in spite of His faithfulness, his obedience or his perceived righteousness he still experiences what he terms the rejection of God. What begins as a testament to God’s care, strength and victory in battle seems to digress into a sense of being abandoned by God. The psalmist now is experiencing the pain of his circumstances without the expected benefit of God’s power and presence.

While I am perplexed by this psalm I am also encouraged to continue seeking God as my source of hope. The psalmist concludes in verse 26 with a plea for God, in His unfailing love, to rise up and rescue. The New Testament takes this plea to another level when humanity, trapped in the vice-grip of death, pleads for one to rise up and rescue. And that is exactly what Jesus did, having suffered humiliation, rejection and death, He was buried in a tomb where it seemed hope as well was buried. But from the heavens came the call of His Father to rise up. From the darkness and pain of death Jesus rose and now leads the way into the new life of the kingdom. The psalmist plea has been heard and our Savior has risen to respond to our pain and brokenness. God’s unfailing love has reached into our existence with hope and healing. The promise awaits its final consummation when every tear will be wiped away and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain. It is a promise fulfilled in Jesus, and offered as God’s greatest gift to all humanity.

In the time between the promise and fulfillment each moment of pain and suffering carries with it the possibility of further transformation. Our enduring and maturing faith is being refined through the testing of difficult circumstances. And that which is being revealed is humble dependence upon God alone. It is only as the psalmist finds himself thrown to the ground, clinging to the dust of the earth, that he fully realizes with a new vision his utter dependence upon God’s unfailing love and mercy. It is to this very place, to the depths of the earth, Jesus chose to go so that He might raise up children to God. In the transformative place of ever-greater humility we discover the one who humbled Himself so that we might be saved.

As I reflect upon my wife’s pain I realize that Jesus is at work to bring about greater transformation in her life and mine. It is not a hopeless place without meaning, but carries with it the deeper meaning of maturing and deepening faith manifested in humble dependence. I am learning more so to be content with circumstances rather than trying to control my circumstances in an attempt to avoid discomfort. In those places of discomfort I am seeking to be awakened to the places God is inviting me to be further transformed and to experience deeper faith in Him. May you continue to seek the Lord in your places of discomfort this day and have eyes to see His transforming work in the depths of your soul.