May 22 – Responding to Pain

“No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.” (Proverbs 12:21)

IN WORD:
Several years ago, a rabbi wrote a popular book asking why bad things happen to good people. It’s a legitimate question; we see godly folks go through some very difficult things. So doesn’t our experience contradict this proverb? Must we generalize this verse and water it down to get anything out of it? Not necessarily. We need to approach this proverb with some clear definitions. We need to define “harm,” and we need to define “righteous.”
Who is righteous? Surely not those who have it all together. None of us do. The proverb would be unrealistic if it meant that, and the Bible isn’t unrealistic. Those who are righteous know who God is and hang onto that knowledge regardless of the situation. They desire God enough to trust Him. Their past may not be righteous, but their direction is.
What is “harm”? Surely not difficult circumstances or pain. Otherwise, the proverb would be a shallow assumption based on fantasy, and the Bible’s not a shallow fantasy. No, trials and pain are not ultimately harmful unless they diminish our relationship with God. But the righteous will not let them do that. They let their trials draw them closer to God. They see His grace more clearly in the aftermath of pain; they trust Him more truly when obstacles hinder trust; they serve Him more sacrificially when it costs something. Through pain, we see Him better, and He becomes more real to us. There is no harm in that.

IN DEED:
This proverb is less about the trials that befall us than our reaction to them. Nothing that the righteous go through is truly harmful if faith is maintained. But troubles are troublesome indeed to those whose faith is conditional. Their love of God depends only on what He does to make them feel good.
Trials come to all, and our reaction defines us. Are we righteous or wicked? The test of pain will make it clear.

“Trials enable people to rise above religion to God.”
-Brother Andrew-