Why do humans think that pain, suffering, and sacrifice please the Divine?
Humans tend to attribute human characteristics to the Supreme Being and tend to see suffering and sacrifice as proof of devotion, the price to pay for divine favor, compassion, or forgiveness. By enduring pain, they transform their resilience into an offering—something they perceive as meaningful and valuable.
What if pain is not only linked to a devotional concept? The purpose of pain in protecting our physical bodies is clear, but is there a metaphysical need for pain? A purposeful mechanism for the evolution of the soul or consciousness? From a more transcendental perspective, it appears to act as a catalyst for internal transformation by creating the necessary contrast for the soul to recognize and value peace, joy, and empathy. In a dualistic reality (hot, cold, light, dark), to know a concept, it is necessary to know its opposite. Without the experience of pain, the concept of “well-being” would have no meaning. Pain provides the depth and nuance that allow joy to be appreciated.
I understand the purpose of pain; the question is: How about degenerative conditions like Parkinson’s, which prevent the person from functioning and expressing their abilities in the pursuit of evolution? What is the metaphysical purpose for Spirit to disable, disempower its own body? A challenging question in spiritual philosophy. If the purpose of the “avatar” (the body) is to express the “Spirit’s” potential, the systematic dismantling of that avatar seems like a contradiction.
Metaphysics, however, suggests that the most significant evolution occurs not through what we do, but through who we become when we can no longer function in our usual way.
The Shift from “Doing” to “Being”
In the physical world, we often mistake our identity for our abilities—our art, our work, or our physical dexterity. A degenerative condition strips away these external attributions. When the “Doer” is disabled, the Soul questions itself: “Who am I if I can no longer produce?” The question forces the Soul to find its meaning in pure existence rather than in achievement.
Control is an illusion maintained by a healthy body. A progressing, ailing physical condition forces the subject to surrender, to shift from control to trust. For the Soul, the “evolution” here is the release of the ego’s need to dictate terms to the natural course of life. It is the challenge of maintaining inner peace and dignity while the external machine fails to follow orders.
Updated priorities.
When the ephemeral (career, social recognition, grand projects) is no longer available, the person needs to evaluate their priorities. This is the appreciation of a single breath, the momentary absence of pain, the significance of having close friends or family in our lives, a moment of clarity between waves of fog… In this state, the soul learns to find new meaning in what it took for granted. It is now a transition from seeking quantity of experience to depth of value.
The body in the physical world is so convincing that we forget we are Spirit. If the body remained perfect and powerful forever, we would never seek to “know ourselves,” to realize our true nature manifesting at higher frequency levels.
The gradual disabling of our Physical vessel is a slow transition. It allows the “I Am” to slowly realize the riddles of the physical world so that, when the time comes to transcend the physical plane, the Soul doesn’t experience the shock of being ripped away but rather the relief of letting go of unnecessary weight.
Manuel Lanz
Newport, California
April 14, 2026