Wynne C
It is with a heavy heart that I pen my final article for the Herald. It has been an immense privilege to write for you in the past five years.
Looking back at the articles I have written, I have talked about a range of topics, like forgiveness, authentic living, humility, protecting your resilience, not wondering about “if only” situations, the dangers of the “good vibes only” mentality, self-care, celebrating small wins, the importance of connection and so much more!
Of all the lessons I have learnt on this journey, the most important one is this: “No pain, no gain”.
Picture this. A baby boy arrives in this world with a silver spoon. He grows up sheltered and lacking nothing. As he turns 30, he notices the world around him and feels envious. What could this man ever need to be envious about, you may wonder. Hasn’t he received everything he ever wanted and much, much more? Yet, there is a sense of emptiness while being surrounded by abundance. He thinks to himself, “What have I done in life that is of value?” He never needed to work for anything, and in this he knows no purpose.
Within the first six months of writing for this column, I found myself in an impossibly heartbreaking circumstance. It was the largest storm I have ever had to weather to date, yet I am thankful to God for all He has done, even through the worst of the worst. While I was in the midst of this storm, it had become so overwhelming that I did consider stopping to write anymore articles. At the same time, I felt a strange sense of comfort from sharing my thoughts as I learnt to cope with heartbreak and trauma. I did not know this at the time, but this column in Herald had become like home. A home for the emotions I was processing. A home for the lessons I was learning. A home for all I was inspired by to carry on. A home for me, and for anyone who needed it.
There was pain, not only from my personal circumstances in 2019 and 2020, but also some pain from committing to this bimonthly writing task. The process of trying to find something to write about, to brainstorming, to the time and discipline required to put pen to paper… All of this was not without sacrifice. Yet, looking back, I would not trade this beautiful experience for anything.
No one ever wishes for pain in their life. I certainly do not welcome it!
Yet it is through our pain and weakness that God’s power is made perfect in our lives. Without pain, we would not need discipline. Without pain, we would not learn humility. Without pain, we would not experience the beauty that comes from rising from the ashes. Without pain, we would not see the need for a Saviour.
So I end my final article with a Bible passage that carries both comfort and challenge in equal measures.
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
– Romans 5:3-5
Without pain, would we even recognise Hope?
