Assignment:
The following question, from Dr. Scalise, is pertinent to and provides an appropriate follow-up to our discussion from the previous week concerning "the dark night of the soul". It is, of course a very serious discussion. As you will note, there are choices as to how you frame your answer, so you do not have to discuss the issue in terms of personal experience, unless it is your choice to do so.
As pastors, chaplains, and ministry leaders, the reality of "pain" is not only a common denominator, but more often than not, a recurring theme. C. S. Lewis, in his book, "The Problem With Pain", said, "God whispers in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain." Do you see various kinds playing any role in character development and spiritual formation?
Conversely, some theologies theologies state that if we are in pain then, as Christians, we also must be in some kind of sin. Frame your discussion in terms of biblical characters, men and women in history, and/or your own personal experience (as you feel comfortable in doing so).