A primary role of pain:

A primary - possibly the primary role of pain:

The main question regarding pain (suffering) is not why we experience it, but what do we do with it i.e. what can we gain from it when we see it from God's vantage point - which is the only true (accurate) vantage point. 

We may not always know if the specific decisions/choices we made caused (or did not cause) our suffering, but we can always be sure that our pain can be a - maybe the - primary means by which we are drawn nearer to God. But only if we are willing to listen and learn i.e. humble ourselves. Was this not the outcome of Job's experience and lesson i.e. humility?

If we are the cause of our pain, it is good to know how, but only to help us avoid that same choice next time, so we might turn away from it if it presents itself again.

Regardless of whether we are or are not the cause, God's intended and desired outcome is the same… that we draw nearer to him. 

Our focus is not on the cause of our pain but on how we can learn from it and draw nearer to God in and through it i.e. What are those areas we can discover about ¹ourselves and ²God - in and through our pain - so we might grow in greater humility and trust in God.

Nothing occurs outside of God's good purposes, even our poor choices. Though we should always seek to make the best choices, we do not have to be fearful if we don't make the perfect choice. 

God - who loves us infinitely and enough to send his Son to restore us - is bigger than our choices and uses all of them - good and bad - to bring about His highest glory and perfect design for us.

How do we discover God's love in our pain? click here

For a further discussion of how God uses evil for our good click here...and here.

The greater the evil the greater the opportunity for healing/

grace click here.

For a discussion on the key lesson from the book of Job, click here.

For a discussion on the value of paradox, click here.

For a discussion of how big is our God click here

For a discussion on the necessity of humility click here.

_______________________________

¹ourself - how and where we don't trust him

²God - how and why he is trustworthy