Pain
Pain is inexplicable.
Pain is immobilizing.
Pain is ineluctable.
When I think of pain, I picture total darkness. Solid, complete, terrifying darkness. Within that darkness, I see a shooting light. Not the light of relief, of compassion, of tenderness that is normally associated with light. I picture a piercing light, that of a knife stabbing, full of hate and anger.
I will do anything to avoid pain.
Whether it's physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, we all want to avoid pain. If it's pain from eating: I. Will. Not. Eat. If it's pain from a relationship: I. Will. Build. Walls. If it's pain from something else, I will do whatever it takes to avoid, ignore, brush off, numb that pain. I hate pain.
Who doesn't?
Seriously, we all do this. We all try to do whatever it takes to minimize the pain we feel. That's why there's so many medications, meditations, religions, broken relationships, miss communications, non communications, avoidances, ignorances. All of it relates to the fear and avoidance of pain.
That's why I am in awe of Job. Job, a man who's life revolved around pain. He lost his livestock, then his sons and daughters are killed, then he gets very, very sick and is rejected by his friends, claims by them that he must have done something to deserve his suffering. Through all of it, Job maintains his innocence. He stays with integrity. He keeps his faith in the Lord.
This appalls me. This amazes me. This encourages me. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, at the end, the Lord blesses him. He is healed, given a new family, a long life, and wealth that he lost.
How did Job do it? How did he survive? How did he remain faithful?
I think these are the kind of questions we ask when things go wrong in our life. When things go askew. When things don't go the way we want them to, the way we planned them to. We need help during the dark times, the painful times. We need encouragement. We need strength.
This is what I'm learning.
I wish we could go without pain. Learn lessons without it. Not have medical issues that cause it. In a perfect world, right?
All I think about is a world without pain. A world free of suffering. A world full of love. I recently finished reading a book I was given by Coach McLeod, one called, "Proof of Heaven." It's about a neurosurgeon who has an out of this world experience, confirming the reality of our God. It relates science and spirituality in a way I've never heard before, completely relating the two and showing the essential need to connect them. Anyway, one of the main things that stood out to me was when the doctor was in this heaven [as I understand that's where he was at the time]. He was given the message: I unconditionally love you for who you are. I unconditionally love you. Love.
This gives me hope. When I suffer, when I endure pain, when I am so fearful of world agony, I pray to Jesus. I put my faith in the Lord. I am comforted knowing that I am loved.
There's something about knowing that the Lord is listening, that the Lord will protect, that the Lord loves you, that makes you breathe again. That makes you have relief. That gives you a bit of peace. Pain may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning. I don't know when our morning will come, but I do know that the Lord is faithful. I hope you find relief from your pain.
Pain is immobilizing.
Pain is ineluctable.
When I think of pain, I picture total darkness. Solid, complete, terrifying darkness. Within that darkness, I see a shooting light. Not the light of relief, of compassion, of tenderness that is normally associated with light. I picture a piercing light, that of a knife stabbing, full of hate and anger.
I will do anything to avoid pain.
Whether it's physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, we all want to avoid pain. If it's pain from eating: I. Will. Not. Eat. If it's pain from a relationship: I. Will. Build. Walls. If it's pain from something else, I will do whatever it takes to avoid, ignore, brush off, numb that pain. I hate pain.
Who doesn't?
Seriously, we all do this. We all try to do whatever it takes to minimize the pain we feel. That's why there's so many medications, meditations, religions, broken relationships, miss communications, non communications, avoidances, ignorances. All of it relates to the fear and avoidance of pain.
That's why I am in awe of Job. Job, a man who's life revolved around pain. He lost his livestock, then his sons and daughters are killed, then he gets very, very sick and is rejected by his friends, claims by them that he must have done something to deserve his suffering. Through all of it, Job maintains his innocence. He stays with integrity. He keeps his faith in the Lord.
This appalls me. This amazes me. This encourages me. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, at the end, the Lord blesses him. He is healed, given a new family, a long life, and wealth that he lost.
How did Job do it? How did he survive? How did he remain faithful?
I think these are the kind of questions we ask when things go wrong in our life. When things go askew. When things don't go the way we want them to, the way we planned them to. We need help during the dark times, the painful times. We need encouragement. We need strength.
This is what I'm learning.
I wish we could go without pain. Learn lessons without it. Not have medical issues that cause it. In a perfect world, right?
All I think about is a world without pain. A world free of suffering. A world full of love. I recently finished reading a book I was given by Coach McLeod, one called, "Proof of Heaven." It's about a neurosurgeon who has an out of this world experience, confirming the reality of our God. It relates science and spirituality in a way I've never heard before, completely relating the two and showing the essential need to connect them. Anyway, one of the main things that stood out to me was when the doctor was in this heaven [as I understand that's where he was at the time]. He was given the message: I unconditionally love you for who you are. I unconditionally love you. Love.
This gives me hope. When I suffer, when I endure pain, when I am so fearful of world agony, I pray to Jesus. I put my faith in the Lord. I am comforted knowing that I am loved.
There's something about knowing that the Lord is listening, that the Lord will protect, that the Lord loves you, that makes you breathe again. That makes you have relief. That gives you a bit of peace. Pain may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning. I don't know when our morning will come, but I do know that the Lord is faithful. I hope you find relief from your pain.
Aside from faith in God, what role do your friends and family play in coping with pain? Often times, wouldn't your prayers manifest themselves through the love outpoured from those you care for and that care for you??
ReplyDeleteYes I completely agree...I think people are put around us to help us cope with things in our lives, both good and bad. I definitely believe that prayers can be and are answered by those around you sometimes. Well put.
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