The essence of 'Human Pain' is the idea that pain is God's way of hitting us over the head. No one really likes pain; it's uncomfortable, it hurts. Lewis does not make any objections, either: "I am not arguing that pain is not painful. Pain hurts. That is what the word means," he writes bluntly. There is nothing hidden in his meaning.
The idea, though, is that pain separates us from whatever hinders our relationship with God. Whatever gets in the way, whatever we place before or alongside God, He takes away, causing us pain. In the life of the believer, pain comes from having to put down our pride, from letting the other have the satisfaction of winning, from putting up with that old woman's unpleasant ramblings no matter how insulting they are to you. It hurts, it causes discomfort and pain, but with each stabbing pain we are one step closer to God. He is pruning the vine, snipping off each unhealthy obsession, each diseased virtue, so that we might be strong and healthy.
For the unbeliever, the consequences seem more harsh. The pain they must endure before they come to realize that the Lord is trying to get their attention is usually far greater. Many times it's difficult for us to see such horrendous things happening to sweet, kind, gentle people, and still call God loving and merciful. It will be even more difficult for one who is going through it to realize that God is causing them so much heartache because He wants to help them. To them it seems, as Lewis put it, paradoxical; it seems completely contradictory. But pain is God's tool used to get our attention as quickly as possible.
It's simple, though. How willing would you be to give up everything for the Lord if you already had everything? I wouldn't be very willing at all. I'd sit on my throne and look down my nose at God and ask Him what He could do for me. But God, in His mighty mercy, makes it much simpler for us. Instead of giving us nothing and making us stare up at him in a pathetic desire to be pitied or giving us everything and waiting around for us to acknowledge Him, He gives us a generous amount, considering what we deserve, and when we forget Him, He takes away whatever most hinders us from Him. One by one, until the breaking point. Some get it right away. Others' breaking points are further along the road. For some it takes total devastation before they are willing to accept God's infinitely better gift. Once the gift has been opened, it is easy to see that the pain it took before you accepted was only brought about by your own stubbornness, but worth it. I'd fight for lifetimes to earn this unearnable gift. It's a gift that's easy to receive when you can't see anyone else offering anything better. It's also easy to give up everything for the Lord when you have nothing.
Now, to some, this may sound cruel. God takes everything away just so He can extend a helping hand? It's like a god-sized bully who knocks you down just so he can help you back up.
That, thank God, is completely against His character. He gave us free will. It's our decision. We could turn to Him before He even has to take something away. But we, being so utterly full of ourselves, know that's never the case. Thus, pain.
It still hurts. But it's the same kind of deep ache that comes after a brutal work out, the same kind of stinging that warns you that something must be fixed. Behind every pain is healing, and healing comes from the Lord.
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