To get through in this life, a person either needs the Holy Spirit, or something to seriously distract and/or numb the emotions. Life is just too painful and stressful without either hope or oblivion.
When, exactly, did painful emotions become the enemy?
“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ And he said, ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.'” Genesis 3:8-13
Ha! Obviously, there are things we just can’t bear to face, much less deal with!
The Holy Spirit doesn’t remove our pain. He displaces our fear and dread with His own holy virtues—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.* These virtues aren’t natural in us—not when we need them, that’s for sure—and they can’t be bottled or play-acted. They work in spite of the pain, and comfort us with the promise of His presence—with no harmful side effects or consequences.
“As men are not able to fight against death, misery, ignorance, they have taken it into their heads, in order to be happy, not to think of them at all.” Blaise Pascal
*Galatians 5:22,23