Where does all the pain go?

That’s a question I’ve been wrestling with for the past four months.

Each day, I hear story after story of incredible, unendurable pain, and it haunts me.

And each night, I lay awake in bed and ask God, over and over again, that simple question.

Is there a bottomless cavern?

Does it float out into space?

Do we ingest it?

Or are we to bear it,

like a weight,

against our backs until it pushes us finally to the ground?

Where

Does

All

The

Pain

Go?

My heart hurts just writing those words.

I hear the stories, and I want to go and hide my own children, to shelter them in a basement, or a house in the woods.

At times, I am gripped with fear for the time they will encounter this pain.  I have nightmares that I cannot shelter them. The fear of pain wakes me, and I have to convince my heart to stop constricting.

God, in your mercy, where does the pain go?

Early one morning, before anyone else but the dog and me were up, I believe God answered my question.  It wasn’t the loud, booming voice I expected, but more an impression. More like hearing the calmest, most familiar voice I’ve ever heard:

“I took it to the cross.”

“What, my Lord?”

“Amy, I took it to the cross. Yet when the pain of this world went to the grave with me, it stayed in the grave. And there it remains.

But there in the tomb, the pain birthed something. I came forth, anew. Not forgetting, but new.

Out of the pain, came hope.”

My friends, my fellow ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, this is our message to those still in the tomb of pain. May we again take up the Mantle of Christ. May we shine the Hope of Jesus Christ and The Resurrection into all the dead places. May we boldly approach the Throne of Grace on behalf of those too weak or weary to do so themselves.

God has called you here. He calls you to speak to the pain, and send it to the grave where it belongs. No longer will we cower in fear of the pain, for we know He who conquered death hell and the grave! We know the Savior! We know the end!

I speak Revival in the Strong Name of Jesus to this campus.

Pain? You have lost.

Isaiah 61:1-7 (The Message):

The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me.

He sent me to preach good news to the poor, heal the heartbroken,

Announce freedom to all captives, pardon all prisoners.

God sent me to announce the year of his grace— a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies— and to comfort all who mourn,

To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,

give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,

Messages of joy instead of news of doom, a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.

Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness” planted by God to display his glory.
They’ll rebuild the old ruins, raise a new city out of the wreckage.

They’ll start over on the ruined cities, take the rubble left behind and make it new.

You’ll hire outsiders to herd your flocks and foreigners to work your fields, But you’ll have the title “Priests of God,” honored as ministers of our God.

You’ll feast on the bounty of nations, you’ll bask in their glory.

Because you got a double dose of trouble and more than your share of contempt, your inheritance in the land will be doubled and your joy go on forever.”

This is a guest post from our campus chaplain, Rev. Amy Cornell. If you’re interested in receiving information about Compass Rose, please sign up for our e-newsletters here.