Today I wish to talk about the reality of having joy in the midst of pain and suffering. Of course, no one in their right mind would pray for an additional load of suffering in this life.
We would all rather float downstream on flowery beds of ease if given a choice of lifestyles.
We would all prefer to be at a 5 star spa resort having aromatherapy and massages than have to labor on a hot roof in the tropical sun. Of course, the easy way is not always the fruitful way that brings development.
There is a lot of truth to the saying "No pain no gain" or the more Biblical admonition of "No crowns without crosses" We live in a world and culture that idolizes the painless path of the "quick fix”, easy way out, shortcut to Nirvana.
This is one of the reasons that most modern cultures today are experiencing an epidemic of overprescibed narcotic painkillers. ( not to mention the old standbys of the illicit drugs)
Dentists and doctors think nothing (to be fair though some are changing now) of dispensing powerful narcotic analgesics lest,God forbid, their patients might have to endure a few twinges of pain.
I n the United States last year overdoses of prescribed narcotic painkillers, usually washed down with alcoholic beverages, which contraindicated and caused death, tallied up to approx 39,000.
Former Pres Clinton speaking about this issue said that this was the first time that the death rate of prescribed narcotics had exceeded the deaths of the national road toll. Another alarming statistic he mentioned was that these prescribed pills had caused more overdoses than all the illegal drugs like heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine combined.
I am not just picking on America here either, many of the other western countries have equally horrific stats.
There is a mass of addiction to drugs and alcohol because people are afraid of pain or boredom and demand an instant feel good lifestyle. Of course there is an equal dependence on other sensual pleasures such as dangerous promiscuous sex and also dysfunctional, gluttonous eating habits etc. There are many other less spectacular examples of this syndrome also which I wont list now.
Jesus Christ said “ I am the Bread of Life, he which eats this bread will never hunger again” “I am the Living Water he who drinks shall never thirst”
Also God says that at His Right Hand there are Pleasures forevermore (He is speaking of Eternal spiritual fulfillment –not sensual pleasure)
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