Pain Is Not A Necessary Pre-Condition For Peace

by Eric Elkin

“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
and a little child shall lead them.”

— Isaiah 11:6

Does one need to experience pain to appreciate joy? This question was central to a conversation I had with a friend years ago. In our discussion, my friend explained their decision to leave the seminary and, ultimately, the Christian faith entirely. The question resurfaces in my mind whenever I read about the peaceable kingdom.

My friend's journey to atheism was filled with discontentment and emptiness. Prayers that moved other people felt empty to him. The holy songs meant to renew the spirit failed to feed his soul. The ultimate breaking point came while leading a Bible study on Isaiah 11:1-10, a text often referred to as "the peaceable kingdom."

He found the vision of heaven presented by the prophet Isaiah as repulsive. If heaven was absent of conflict and pain, how would one ever truly experience joy? The longer he contemplated it, the more this ultimate reality seemed dull. He saw an absence of feeling, a dullness that resonated with his spiritual emptiness.

I could see his point when he first shared his thoughts with me. There is no greater joy than a torn relationship reconciled. Sometimes, we never realize a good thing until it is gone. Yet, the longer I dwelled on it, the more depressed I became. Do we need to hurt each other to experience goodness?

“We must remind one another constantly of the vision (of the Peaceable Kingdom). Whenever it comes alive in us we will find new energy to live it out, right where we are. Instead of making us escape real life, this beautiful vision gets us involved.”

— Henri Nouwen

The question resurfaces in me because I failed to challenge his line of reasoning. A peaceable kingdom might be boring, but how is a world where one needs to kill to survive exciting? If you play out my friend's line of reasoning, things quickly become ugly. Does one need to be hit to appreciate the comfort of a hug?

I wonder if the runaway youth spending the Minnesota winter living in tents see their circumstances as necessary for appreciating security. Do the families walking through a cold Ukrainian winter to escape Russian bombs give thanks that they are not bored by a peaceable kingdom? Are the people clamoring for the basic necessities of life in Haiti glad they do not have to lay peacefully next to their oppressors?

The words of Isaiah are the heart and soul of the Advent season. The prophet tells of a time when a Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace will emerge from the smallest of beginnings. When the prophecy was fulfilled, and the Messiah came, he taught the people a simple lesson; blessed are the peacemakers. Jesus' words remind us that the most profound expressions of hope emerge from the smallest acts.

When I think of all the conflicts in the world - wars, hunger, and poverty - my heart yearns for the boredom of peace. To anyone suffering from mental health issues or personal conflict, I want you to know pain is not a necessary pre-condition for peace. And, no matter how great the challenge might seem, a peaceful place is nearby and possible to experience.

Today, I am thinking of a line from the song "O, Little Town of Bethlehem." In the song, Bishop Phillip Brooks wrote, "No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in."

Click to read Isaiah 11:1-10

Reflection Questions:

When has pain helped you appreciate joy?
Would a place without conflict get boring?
How draining to your soul is the conflict in your life, or the conflict you have experienced?
What does a Peaceable Kingdom look like to you?

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