Suffering is an inescapable, if not essential, part of life.
PICTURE: Road Trip with Raj/Unsplash
Until we confront that truth, and make peace with it – we can’t live.
In the Western world, we’re not set up to make peace with suffering, but to avoid it.
Our wealth and prosperity, pop psychology, helicopter parenting, even euthanasia – it’s all designed to build a wall of comfort to keep suffering out. But it doesn’t work – suffering is inevitable. When it arrives, we’re not prepared at all – and our suffering is worse. Is that why mental health is at pandemic levels?
We have to make peace with it by embracing it – in small doses. To overcome our terror of suffering, suffer a little, for another. A loved one, a child. You’ll grow resilient, even brave, and can face more.
It’s the way of the cross; suffering embraced brings eternal life.
Paul Clark’s musings can be heard on radio across Australia and at atthetop.org.au.
