Pain is the pathway to understanding love

Love and pain go together, for a time at least.

If you would know Love, you must know pain too.

~~Hannah Hurnard

This morning’s prayer and meditation for Sally’s healing comes from Take Heart, Oh God: Riches from the Greatest Christian Women Writers of All Time.

We were made for a perfect world, but we do not live in one. In this life, love and pain come paired; one does not exist without the other. For now, the consolations of love come tinged with grief, misunderstanding, and even loss.

Yet Hannah Hurnard describes pain as a pathway to understanding love—the kind of all-encompassing love God has for us. To get to the heights, we must go through the valley. To understand love, we must be willing to experience pain—for true love calls for giving, for sacrifice, for facing hurt and loss.

Jesus himself showed the ultimate love by his willingness to sacrifice his life for us. His love for us was worth whatever pain it took to bring us to himself. If we want to truly love, we must willingly follow his example.  

Prayer for Meditation

Help me to understand that pain teaches me more about your love, Dear Lord.

Scripture for Meditation

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16

Music for Meditation

Unfailing Love

If you feel led to do so, please post a note of encouragement in the comment section below, or send your note by email to PrayersForSally@gmail.com.