In the blockbuster movie “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier” Captain James T. Kirk declared “I need my pain.” What does he mean he needs his pain? How is hurting a good thing? Is there really an upside to getting hurt? How could experiencing emotional pain be a disguised blessing?
Can pain be a tool of Spirit to help us make our lives better? Yes, emotional pain is a disguised blessing! We have all been there. Life is going great and then … WHAM! You are blindsided by something you did not see coming or things did not turn out the way you wanted them to. Suddenly you find yourself in a place of pain. You are devastated and wondering how to get through the hurt when you feel you have been torn apart.
Can you find the lesson in the pain and move on from it, feeling blessed for the experience? I say absolutely, and that it is the normal condition for us to do so. We experience emotional pain for myriad reasons, but whatever way the pain comes to our emotions, we are giving a chance to learn more about ourselves and to grow as a person – which is one of the greatest blessings of all. Pain is pain, and yes, that means it hurts. However, the greatest lessons we learn about ourselves are when we are challenged the most, when we have to give the most, and when we have to dig for it.
When the pain initially hits it is difficult to see how anything could be positive about the experience. As hard as it is sometimes to accept, it is when you face the challenges in life that you grow the most. When making a blade the metal smith will temper the steel, heating it, hammering it, immersing it in cold water, then returning it to the fire and repeating. This process creates a blade that is stronger with the spring required so that it does not easily break. For us, emotional pain is tempering.
We are spiritual beings in human existence, here to learn – as it is said life is a school for the soul. Some of us may feel like we are on a crash course! The pain that we experience emotionally teaches us about ourselves for good or ill. The blessing in the pain is that it gives us an opportunity to learn about ourselves and to grow closer with our spiritual selves.
Learning the lesson that the pain has brought you is important to getting through it. Yup, you sure can wallow in that pain all you want, but the pain is Spirit’s way of trying to show us there is another way or to show us that we are trying for something that is not in our best interest. Pain is the catalyst that helps us grow in both who we are as a person and in our spiritual lives. I do not recommend seeking out emotional pain unnecessarily, but when pain comes to you, try using these steps to help you get to the blessing part as soon as possible.
Look for the Blessing(Lesson) in the Pain. Why are you hurting? Did you lose at love? Are you grieving for a lost loved one or friend? That promotion you were hoping for did not come through? Study the reason for the pain to find the lesson. It is time to make changes for a happier you!
Consciously Choose to Move Forward From the Pain Part. You hurt only as long as you want to. I used to get so mad when my mother would say that to me! Now I am so glad she did. Yes, the pain hurts, but you do not have to stay in it. You can move forward from the pain and retain the blessing with the lesson you have received any time you choose.
Incorporate the Blessing/Lesson Into Your Life. You have to work at this one because it normally means you have to change a way of thinking, an avenue of approach or even move forward from the whole situation. Making change is difficult but worth the energy and effort. You will find incorporating the blessing not only makes you stronger, but happier too as it compounds the positive effect throughout your life.
When we experience emotional pain life is tempering us and we are given the blessing to work through the pain and come out of it on the other side better, stronger, and more in tune with who we are. Listening to Singer Kelly Clarkson’s international hit “Stronger” always helps me see the pain as a blessing in disguise!
