analyzing pain

this has been a most exciting weekend for me. and for most pinoys as well. manny “pacman” pacquiao was once again pitted against eric morales; and everybody was excited to watch the fight.

we rooted for pacquiao.. cheered him on.. even prayed for him. and now that he won, we feel so proud. we’re all glad that once again, he gives this country something to boast about.

but what if things turned out differently? if manny had lost.. if he had not beaten morales in this bout.. how would we have felt? would we still have been proud of him? would we still have been able to hold our heads high and say, “magaling ang pinoy!”?

oftentimes, we put too much importance on victory and triumph.. on success and winning. we focus all our energies into making sure everything turns out perfectly. there’s nothing wrong with aiming for excellence. but we should always remember that the greatest triumphs are made sweeter by the most bitter defeats. and that behind every glorious moment of victory are a hundred moments of pain and sacrifice.

before pacquiao became the star that he now is, he had to go through intense and rigid training. perhaps manny already was one of the better boxers when he started out. but if he did not endure long hours of sparring sessions.. if he just gave up because his muscles ached.. or because he cut his lip.. or because he shed some blood.. he never would have risen to “hero” status.

pain. we are all acquainted with it. but not all of us understand that the experience of pain is one of the greatest blessings. pain teaches us to be humbly dependent on the Lord. pain warns us when we are straying from His path. pain helps us to empathize with others who are hurting. pain makes us aware of our mortality and frailties. pain helps us identify our areas of weakness - spiritual or otherwise. and pain makes us more grateful.. more joyful when success comes around.

the great martyrs and saints died for their faith. they served as witnesses for the Lord, despite the most cruel tortures and most inhumane conditions. they were especially called to suffer. and they were able to endure to the end because God allowed them to suffer many trials and persecutions throughout their lives. until they learned to value their pains. until they learned to embrace their cross.

so if you are going through some tough times right now.. if you are in pain and you can’t seem to understand why.. if you feel like a loser and there doesn’t seem to be a way out.. that’s okay. cry. scream. rant. shout it out. vent. cry some more. but do it all in His presence.

because the Suffering Servant understands. He knows how to endure.. and He gives the same grace to all who ask in His name. He heals the broken-hearted. He binds up our wounds.

and more importantly, He teaches us how to embrace our own crosses. and He walks along with us.. on our journey to Calvary.