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Divine Love
If pain and suffering had not entered the world, we never could have known divine love as we know it now. The test of love is, How much is it willing to bear for the sake of others? In 1 Corinthians 13, the first thing to be said about divine love is, “Charity (love) suffereth long, and is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4). Had there been no pain and no suffering to endure, then love would have lacked an opportunity to display itself. Let us never forget that pain, and pain alone, made it possible for God fully to reveal Himself. Christ felt pain — He groaned — He suffered agony — He shed tears. Weariness, want and woe were His portion. Had no such things existed, what losers had we been! We never could have known Him as we know Him now.
Remember, “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). If we have learned the meaning of that and love Him in return, then we may believe that, through everything, however dark and disappointing, however contrary to our will things may turn out, our good is God’s constant aim.
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