One of the most important spiritual lessons I have learned is growth through pain. While the fruits of the spiritual life are joy, love, peace, and harmony, one must also face tests and challenges, and overcome inner and outer temptations. How else can we develop our spiritual muscles unless we have to use them? As you have no doubt heard it repeated, no pain, no gain.
Pain is a marvelous feedback mechanism provided by the universe. Pain tells you that something is out of balance in your life, and that you must make the necessary changes to restore that balance.
Pain also helps you to develop a closer relationship with God. They say in Alcoholics Anonymous that one has to hit rock bottom before he or she is ready be helped. It is the same for you. In times of despair, when you realize that your own efforts can no longer sustain you, you become open to asking for help from that higher power. And it is in these moments that you can hear the inner voice responding, “I am here to help.”
Now think back to the times in your life that were the most painful, the most difficult. Recall those moments when you suffered or lost the most. Consider what you learned from these occurrences; evaluate the growth that you experienced. Are you not a more compassionate, wise and understanding person as a result of what you went through?
Compare this to a time when all was going well, when your feelings of pain were at a minimum. Which of the experiences produced the greater growth and transformation in your life?
Invariably it will be the “painful situation” that has truly blessed you, that has opened your heart and made you a more loving human being.
Affirmations
1. I thank the universe for providing me with opportunities to grow and to transform.
2. A broken heart is an open heart: my heart has been opened by my pain.
3. I am a stronger and wiser person because of my tests and challenges.
4. Better the pain, than to remain the same.
5. I see all problems as disguised opportunities
Words to Consider
“The depth of darkness to which you can descend and still live
is an exact measure of the height to which you can aspire to reach.”
Laurence Van der Post