Rev. Veronica Pålsson, Church of Sweden pastor. Photo: Private
Swedish pastor Rev. Veronica Pålsson says turning inwards is not the way forward
God knows what pain feels like. I don’t know how you are doing right now. Maybe you are carrying some pain. Maybe it is starting to pass. Not all pain is visible. But all pain is felt. Some pain passes after a while. Other pain, we are forced to carry for the rest of our lives. Regardless of the pain you are carrying now or will carry in the future, remember that God knows how it feels.
God knows what it feels like when pain screams through the whole body. God knows what anxiety feels like. God has felt the pain of being betrayed by his friends and those he thought he could trust. God knows what it feels like to lose someone you love. (Mark 14-15, John 11:30-36)
We believe in a God who knows what pain feels like and who bears wounds and scars on His body. A God who was willing to suffer on the cross for our sake. And His suffering is our salvation. From His pain and victory over death, He gives us life and life in abundance. And He was willing to endure that pain because He loves us. But what Jesus did on the cross, none of us can do. Yet we must never stop feeling our own and others' pain. For as a wise person once said: If you can feel pain, you are alive. If you can feel other people's pain, you are a human being. (John 20:24-29, Romans 5:8)
We must do what we can to reduce the suffering in the world and take care of those who are hurting. Many countries are increasingly focusing on their own interests and less and less on our shared world.
Rev. Veronica Pålsson, Church of Sweden
There is so much suffering in our world. Even though it hurts to see it, we must not turn away and try to pretend it does not exist. Because it does. And as long as one part of the body suffers, the whole body suffers. And as humanity, we are one body. That is why it is painful to see how Sweden, my own homeland, and many other countries are increasingly focusing on their own interests and less and less on our shared world. That is not the way forward. We must do what we can to reduce the suffering in the world and take care of those who are hurting. To see our brothers and sisters, near and far, and help each other carry one another’s pain. Because we belong together and carrying it together can make it a little less painful. God does not want anyone to suffer because he knows how much it can hurt. And yet, pain is a part of life. God knows this. And He wants to share our pain with us and give us the strength we need to go through it. Regardless of the pain you are carrying, remember that God knows how it feels and understands. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
I invite you to reflect on these questions:
Is your image of God one of a God who bears scars and wounds?
How does that affect your view of God if you try to imagine that?
What have you learned from your own experiences of pain and suffering?
Can that, in some way, help you when encountering the pain and suffering of others?
This post is part of the monthly LWF Youth theological series called “Global Faith Unfiltered.” It features reflections from young theologians on the most pressing issues and topics across their communities, from a perspective of the priorities highlighted at the 2023 LWF Assembly.
