Principles – School of Pain – 28/2/2015

   Nothing makes us a great people except a great pain; immortal, encouraging words by the great writer “Tawfiq Al Hakeem”. Some seek for one goal only, that is, escaping pain; while others think that “pain is the sincerest sign of growth and life“. We live to learn; pain, misery and afflictions make us grow up.

Affliction reveals your weakness 

   Affliction is the school where man learns humbleness and avoiding loftiness. He realizes his weakness and need for God’s support and help of others. Many people have thought they would have been able to live alone without any support from others, but when they faced troubles they discovered that they need support and it helped to pass afflictions of life. Out of God’s endless wisdom, He created people to live together and to support one another.

Affliction is a source of blessings

   One day there was a minister when facing a trouble was always saying it’s for good. Once the king had an accident and lost two of his fingers, he heard the minister saying that it had been for his own good. The king was frustrated and ordered to throw the minister in prison. Afterwards, he sat off a fishing trip and lost his way. He was found by a tripe that offers humans as sacrifices to their gods. While the tripe was preparing him to be killed, they found out about his two fingers. Thus, they sat him free as the human sacrifice should be perfect and without a blemish. When he returned to his kingdom he sat his minister free as he realized then that every affliction we face has a hidden blessing. However, when pain controls man’s thoughts, he would be in a great trouble as “Pain is not evil if it does get hold of us “.Pain’s control over man leads to losing his ability to think rationally and prevents him from using his energy and capabilities to get over his feeling of pain. Don’t let affliction get hold of you or sadness control your thoughts and behaviors.

   Pain is another chance to see God’s hands that supports you to get over afflictions. One of the Fathers of the Church once said, “Whoever avoids affliction, avoids God“. Affliction allows you to realize God’s support and discovers that He is in control of everything. God also sends us friends in our distress that made us feel at ease even if the winds of distress blow hard.

   Don’t surrender to pain and afflictions and remember that God is in control and that he grants us internal power in your soul people to support you. It is all about you and the way you consider matters of life. You should realize that there would never be constant comfort and peace on earth as they don’t exist except in Heavens.

Comfort is measured variably… to be continued…

General Bishop

Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center