Don't Waste Your Pain

             The journey of pain is very interesting. If you have had chronic pain for very long, then you know the feelings of isolation, despair, and sadness. But if we allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in us, we will get to experience a purpose that is beyond our pain. If we want to be pain free so we can truly be the Church to those that are poor, unloved, and imprisoned, and if we want to have zero pain so we can share the Gospel as much as we can, then I think our motives are pure and of the Lord.

             But if we are praying earnestly for no pain so that we can have our old life of comfort and ease, and have all the "blessings" that it brings (and I use blessings loosely), then we need to check our motives. We need to be living for Christ and His glory, and not our own. This life is too short. Although, to people who are in pain daily, it can seem like forever. We need to know that we are going to spend forever without pain, worshipping God-Hallelujah! So each day can be a new way in your pain to serve God.

John Ortberg writes in his book, The Life You've Always Wanted,"...the thing that keeps me from experiencing joy is my preoccupation with self. The very selfishness that keeps me from pouring myself out for the joy of others also keeps me from noticing and delighting in the myriad small gifts God offers each day."

Do you experience joy in your day-no matter what the day holds for you? Are you choosing joy, as Paul speaks of in the New Testament? If you are not, you are missing out on so much! God uses our pain and suffering for so many reasons. One being to make our joy complete. It is hard to understand this if you have not suffered from chronic pain, but if you have had ongoing pain you know what it is like to have days where there doesn't seem to be anything to do except think upon the pain you feel. We become preoccupied with our self, and not in a way that is beneficial to ourselves or others. When we are preoccupied with our pain and suffering, we begin the downward spiral that is all too familiar in suffering. It goes something like this: I'm tired of being in pain-I can't do anything about it-why is this happening-what good is my life-I'm tired of dealing with pain...etc. In this time Satan uses our weakness against us as he always tries to do! "Joy, where are you?" I shout as if it will, just show up on its own and produce a peace I have never had. But you see, joy is something we experience when we get our mind off of ourselves in our pain. Pouring ourselves out to others opens our heart for joy, joy to serve God and love others. God offers small gifts to us each day. Are you looking for a way to be joyful today?

How are you feeling today? Are you fearful concerning your pain? The future? Do you let your fear concerning your pain rule your life? Let's look at God's Word for direction...

Isaiah says, "Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand." (chapter 41:10)

In this life we are told we will have trouble, sickness, disease, but we have a great physician that not only is with us daily, hourly, minute by minute but He is also strengthening us. He is victorious! So friend, don't be afraid. He is there. Do not fear. Keep your joy in the midst of your pain. Remember that is the one thing Satan will try to get from you. Never let Him. Keep focused on the Lord and stay in His Word. Memorize Isaiah 41:10 and then live out your joy in the Lord!!!

Dear friends,
Today seems like any other day. Yes pain is there, yes people around me seem to be living such easy lives, yes I have my ups and downs emotionally, but today is quite different as well. I have been reading The Holiness of God by RC Sproul for awhile now and I have been learning so much about who God is. It hit me today that in Genesis 2:17 God says to Adam and Eve that they will surely die if they eat of the forbidden fruit. They did, but they did not immediately die. Do you ever wonder why? The Bible says God is slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

It doesn't seem fair that we are in pain daily, but compared to the fact that if God gave us complete justice for our sins we would die immediately when we sin, we have been given mercy. Yes, God showed mercy on us by letting us live another day even in our pain. It has been granted for us to suffer. Suffering can come in many forms. Physical suffering is just one way that God bestows mercy on us. This is something people who don't suffer with chronic pain will probably never understand, but in our pain we draw closer to the creator of the universe. God is so holy we can't be in his presence, yet He chose to draw us to Himself through the blood of Jesus-How amazing! In our pain we struggle each day to find meaning and purpose and in those times we can draw close to God, allowing Him to minister to our hearts. Let Him today...He is so good.