Are You in Pain?

 Are you in pain today?

I know I am. And I am not alone in my pain. Many people are. Whether it be from just the everyday things that they are living with. Or maybe its because of the affects that Hurrican Ian had on them and their property earlier this week.

Or maybe like me, you recently or maybe even not so recently lost a loved one in death.

There are all kind of pain. But did you ever think of pain as being a gift from God?

I ran across something that comes right across where I am at today. I am going to copy and paste it here because maybe you will think of your own pain in a different light after you read it.

Pain - The Gift Nobody Wants

Pain is a gift nobody wants. But it's a gift, just the same.

We don’t ask for it or enjoy it, but we all experience it in one form or another.

My friend Peggie says, "Pain always brings change."

She's right. We can let it disable us with bitterness, anger, and depression. Or we can let it equip us with wisdom, sensitivity, humility, and grace.

When I’m suffering, I want to remind God of Bible passages where He rescues His people. I want to forget about the more prevalent passages where He loves His followers enough to let them suffer for their good and the good of others (e.g. Joseph and Paul).

We discipline our children, make them get shots, even give them over to doctors for surgery...because we love them. They could (and sometimes do) accuse us of letting them needlessly suffer. But they don’t understand.

As God’s children, we often misunderstand too. He doesn’t promise to prevent pain (Hebrews 12:1-11). He promises to use it for our good (Romans 8:28).

Help us, Lord, to see our pain the right way.

💗💗💗

The best thing that I can say about pain, is that it doesn't last forever. Eventually, it will go away. Maybe not until we pass from this life to the next.

My mother was in pain most of her life. And even though people prayed for her to be healed of it, it never left her. In fact, the last couple years of her life, she suffered much more than anyone that I ever knew. 

But then she went home to be with Jesus one day at the age of 73. And that was it. Her pain was gone. Prayer had not healed her in this life and that had been very disappointing to family members who thought she would be. But as I contemplated that in the days following her death, I knew that I would never wish her back from where she was because if she could not be completely healed, I was glad she was home and free from it.

Pain for me, is not just physical. It comes from the passing of those people who left me for Heaven. And yet, I have the hope and thankfulness that they are there waiting for me to join them. At whatever time that God deems it is my time.

And in the meantime, I can look at it as this article says. God promises to use it for my good. Because undoubtedly, he loves me.

And He loves you too. 

Thanks for coming by today, Friends.

God bless!