The Purpose of Pain

This evening, in family scripture study, we read a talk that shared this quote from Elder David A. Bednar: "guilt is to our spirit what pain is to our body—a warning of danger and a protection from additional damage." Pain is unpleasant, especially with the knowledge that the Savior suffered our pain as well, but pain serves an important function. It warns us against things that are harmful and dissuades us from repeating whatever action caused the pain in the first place. Anyone who has hit their thumb with a hammer knows to place their next hammer stroke more carefully, hopefully preventing further harm.

Similarly, anyone who has felt guilt also feels dissuaded from doing whatever it was that made them feel guilty. Just as physical pain helps prevent further physical harm, spiritual pain helps prevent further spiritual harm. Our guilt at having done something wrong helps us not want to repeat the same mistake.

Guilt and pain are not pleasant feelings, but they are important to our physical and spiritual development. We need to feel physical pain to know what physical dangers to avoid, and we need to feel spiritual pain to know what spiritual dangers to avoid. Though unpleasant, guilt and pain play important roles in our mortal and eternal progression, and I'm grateful they each accomplish their purpose as well as they do.