The Problem of Pain

There are two types of pain in the world, they shall be called Pain A and Pain B. Pain A is the physical pain you get when you fall down and cut your knee, when your nerve endings shoot signals of pain and physical damage. Pain B is the emotional pain we feel whenever there is something we dislike. Pain B can be both physical and emotional. While both are important pains, and both capable of being blogged on, C.S. Lewis was not a renowned scientist or medical doctor, so it is safe to say we will be exploring Pain B in "The Problem of Pain."

Lewis says makes his battery of intriguing points in this work, starting with an insight Lewis makes regarding human will, "We are not merely imperfect creatures who must be improved: we are...rebels who must lay down our arms." This is a very excellent point made by Lewis. First, we are indeed totally depraved of God. We are in every sense of the word imperfect creatures, we sin, we are corrupt, there is no way for us to have eternal life. However, we are perfect in the sense that we are made in God's image. So there is a glimmer of optimism. That being said, must realize our own imperfection, the fact that we are nothing apart from God. By laying down our arms, we let down our aggression and anger, and allow the Lord to work through us. Through his grace, we are then are able to be atoned with God the Father.

Another good point Lewis raises was when he commented on the pain that he himself feels. In this time of truth, Lewis states that if he knew of a clue as how to get away from pain, he would crawl through a sewer to retrieve it. Pain hurts; which is perhaps the most obvious thing that will ever be written. That is not what is profound though, what is profound is the fact that we are all cowards. C.S. Lewis is a coward, I am a coward, and the people who read this blog are cowards. However, Lewis is brave for admitting it, facing your fears head on is the best way to resolve them. In order to face our pains, the things that make us want to cower and shake, we must face them and work through them. A man should not be judged upon his wife, his car, or his job, but rather his moxy in the face of adversity. Cowardice is not the right answer, but admitting cowardice is the first step to solving it. Pain is awful, and terrible, but admitting to it is a step towards solving it.