The Purpose of Pain

I picked up a small clove of garlic from the cutting board and held it between the fingertips of my right hand while I narrowed my eyes and aimed a knife to its back with my left hand. The sharp edge of the knife sunk into the juicy body of the garlic, but as it pushed down further to halve it, both my hands dropped what they were holding and my feet rushed me to the kitchen sink.

I let the running water from the tap wash the fresh cut the knife had created on the tip of my finger, and a tiny splotch of red appeared on its surface. Then I rushed to find a clean cloth which I wrapped around the bleeding finger.

All of this happened as if my body had gone into 'Auto' mode, my mind hardly processing what was happening. When I finally did get the chance the sit down (and quieten my husband who was yelling at me in panic), I thought about the pain that had triggered my actions over the last few minutes. 

What is the purpose of pain, anyway?

Doesn't it sound like something we could have done away with?

If only we couldn't feel pain, would it not have made our lives so much easier? 

Even as I asked myself these questions, my brain ever-so-kindly reminded me about Hansen's disease or leprosy. The disease causes numbness of affected areas - in a majority of cases, the fingertips. As a result, patients lose their sense of touch and they are unable to experience any pain. But shouldn't this be a good thing?

No, and here's why. People with leprosy often don't realise when they have hurt themselves. They wouldn't know if they have touched a burning hot pan and would keep holding on to it until there are visible signs of scalding. They wouldn't be able to know that their finger has been caught between the door or that they have had an accident while chopping the vegetables until they see blood ooze out rapidly. In short, they hurt themselves so much that they end up losing their fingertips to reabsorption and become disabled - and that's the consequence of not feeling pain.

Isn't it funny that pain suddenly seems to be such an important thing? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that you should hurt yourself in order to feel pain. What I am saying, though, is that - more often than not - pain can protect us from something worse.

Pain could save me from losing a finger in the kitchen by triggering a reflex action.

Pain is often an indication that you need to seek medical treatment before an illness turns fatal.

Pain can be a wake-up call that saves you from an abusive relationship.

Speaking of pain, I've often wondered why Jesus had to go through so much of it on the cross. And today, I think I see why! He went through it all so that I wouldn't have to spend an eternity paying for my sins.

Yes. Pain (borne with love on the cross) also saved me!