The Problem of Pain

I heard an interesting quote tonight, and I would love to tell you who should be credited with the saying; however, I honestly don't have any idea. Feel free to enlighten me if you do...

"People don't change until the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of changing."

Similarly, by C.S. Lewis, from his book The Problem of Pain:

"Now God, who has made us, knows what we are and that our happiness lies in Him. Yet we will not seek it in Him as long as He leaves us any other resort where it can even plausibly be looked for. While what we call 'our own life' remains agreeable we will not surrender it to Him. What then can God do in our interests but make 'our own life' less agreeable to us, and take away the plausible source of false happiness?"

Wow! If you haven't read this book, please do. It's quite thought provoking, yet very simply logical. Without pain and discomfort in our lives, we would not recognize our need for God! C.S. Lewis has many other fine points as well. For example, without pain there is no free will. Consider (in a purely physical illustration): Man A wants to run over Man B. A world with no pain would disallow the Man B to be hurt in the incident or experience pain by Man A's actions; however, that would negate Man A's ability to exercise his free will to run over Man B. Anyway, it's a very fascinating and informative read. And, it also gives a certain amount of comfort in painful situations... of which we've all faced at one point or another (or are facing right now)!