The Healing Power of Pain

I have written on pain before, sharing from a book I read about a physician who worked with leprous patients overseas. [Leprosy is a degenerative skin disease (easily treated with antibiotics, but they did not know that in Jesus’ ministry days or still don’t in many poor countries today).] The damage comes from a lack of all feeling, including pain, in the extremities. The patient feels no pain.

Oh, that would be wonderful, says many people. In fact, addictions exist originally (most often) to numb pain or perceived pain, to not feel hurt, to escape reality instead of have pain- not knowing that Jesus Christ is the answer and hope/ help is available to heal us to recovery, but I digress.

Yes, feeling no pain would be lovely to non-patients’ eyes. However, would it surprise you to hear that what these patients mournfully complain about is not being disfigured or cast away from society but that they cannot feel pain. It is their biggest cause for mental anguish. They want to feel physical pain! Why? Because pain is good for us. It tells us we are alive. It allows us to quickly move if too close to a fire or pull our hand away if being bit by an insect or starting to be shut in a door. They cannot feel so cannot respond and degradation happens they cannot even feel it. How do you know you are alive if you don’t feel pain? Pain tells us to stop or move or acknowledges your presence. Pain is shared by humanity. It is something we all experience. Lepers miss this aspect of humanity. A lack of pain feels even more isolating and lonely.

I come back to this topic because pain is valuable as a tool for growth in relationship with Jesus Christ and otber people also. Pain allows us to share each others’ burdens and to lift our burdens to Christ for help. This is a bonding experience. When I gave birth to my children, it was painful. I bonded with my children through that pain. Pain bonds us. It is not a fun bonding but it is deep.

Pain also tells you not to do it again. We need these reminders. Pain also can pinpoint where somethi g needs to be done, it is a call to action. This is priceless to protect ourselves and get help from God or a professional or both.

So, don’t be so quick to run away from pain, is what my point is. Bring it to Jesua Christ and seek out healing or remedy, explore where it comes from, get help when and where needed, grow closer to Jesus. The answer is in the truth and healing and relationship with Jesus, not in a temporary bandaid or false promise the lying world has to offer. Look to Jesus. Read the Bible. Pray. Reach out if you want me to pray for you.😃❤️

Shaking a Fist at God

This imagery has been brought into my head lately. Whenever we insist on doing what we want- and for years as an addict I did this so I speak from experience- we are pridefully shaking our fist at God. We are saying we want what we want and don’t want to hear what our loving Creator wants from or for us. We are praying our will be done rather than God’s will be done. We are screaming that we know better than almighty God, who made us.

God brought me, loved me, into recovery, into humble submission to His plan. Jesus bought with His own blood and cleaned me up inside and out. I am not who I was and I am free now and joyful, I have peace. All this because I have accepted His plan for me and humbled myself to accept love and grace. It is so very beautiful! I am so thankful! Praise God!😃❤️

Friends

Every journey is ultimately made alone, internal decisions determine our present and eternity. That is only enhanced when we choose to have a precious relationship with God our Heavenly Father. Also, we can choose to befriend whoever we will. Otherwise, we are alone and can make choices we think are best. If these friends love God too, the friendship is blessed and beautiful. And if the friends do not love God, they will be a source of discouragement for you and energy must be put into showing them how precious life is with God. Our choices matter and who we choose to spend time with and put energy into matters very much.😄❤

Fancy Flea and Change

I am stepping out soon to go with some lady friends to the Fancy Flea, a flea market annual event in Plant City. This is stepping put of my comfort zone by socializing with women (I get along better with guys in general), leaving the kids at home (I always have them) and shopping (which I hate- no, detest). Why? Because I was asked by a friend and am seeing the need to be more sacrificial in my friendships. I have used the mostly valid excuse that my husband wants or needs me home, I have to take care of the kids, have to walk the dog, have a hundred things to do to maintain the house and garden, need to stay home and teach, run the kids all over, etc. I have done little to nothing with my friends. I want to have them to dinner, go places, have tea parties, but my husband hates company and I have made allowances for that since day 1. I guess my inner hostess is pushing up through all this submission, perhaps my pride has not all been conquered or perhaps the length of the unfairness has erupted my anger, I am not certain, or perhaps my desire to go home being ignored and cast aside for so long is infuriating my inner rebel.

All these culminate to allow me to go shopping with friends soon without children. We will see what happens but it is my first outing with girlfriends in years. And maybe I don’t need to go and shouldn’t, but maybe this small rebellion will keep me from going nuts with homesickness. I miss my family desperately. And when I have felt like this in my life, I make a way to visit. My hands feel tied and I am, inside myself, starting to wriggle. So I will be praying over this. I really don’t want my inner desires to ever take over my commitment to God and faithfulness to humbleness. I do want God to be first always and His will for me to be bigger than any will of my own. And that is what I need to focus on.

Sorry for rambling and this stream of consciousness, but I figured out my desire to go shopping (which I detest) with the girls and why I am conflicted about it. It is way deeper than I imagined. And thinking it through has helped me see why I may not go but why I may instead get out in nature alone and pray for greater endurance and humbleness. I don’t spend a dime (that I am short on adter 3 birthdays this month) doing this and will be better for it. I will get precious time alone in nature with God.

I have changed my plans for the best. Praise God!😄❤