Avoiding the Hurt

When I started running, it hurt.

A lot.

I’m a little weird about this, but I don’t like things that hurt.

So I had a great idea: maybe if I ran more and got into better shape, it would hurt less.

That plan was about 60% effective.

Going from 0 to 1 mile was a hundred times harder than going from 1 mile to 10 miles. But the first mile of every run hurts. From what I hear, it always will.

I thought if I ran more, I would hurt less.

The actual result surprised me: the hurt didn’t stop. I learned how to endure the hurt.

We spend our lives doing whatever possible to avoid hurt. Avoiding pain. But deep down, we know it is impossible.

C.S. Lewis said,

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”

The Four Loves, C. S. Lewis

Christianity doesn’t promise us an escape from pain. It does promise us a guide through it, comfort despite it, and hope beyond it.