For His Glory

Shocker! I voiced my opinion on a medical on line community board. I apparently offended people. Honestly, I just had to do it. The board is an excellent source of information. When I have medical questions I usually search there before hounding my doctors. Lately, however, I have become increasingly impatient. Reading through all the complaining kills me.  I just want to find my answers and move on. And, yes, I know what you are thinking. And, yes, I know I don't sound very "Christian" like. Five guesses as to which parent in our household kissed cuts and scrapes? #notme  #LOLZ.

Let me preface this post by saying I am not talking about terminally ill patients.  So here's the deal. We all have stuff. If I told you that I was in so much pain on Monday that I was popping pain killers like they were tic tacs would it change the situation? Nope, it would not. 

It happens every single November like clockwork. Between the time change and the weather my body is in grave pain. Do you need to know that sometimes my arms are so weak I forgo washing my hair? Or that my legs feel like they have sandbags attached to them? That I often cancel physical therapy because it hurts to get into my vehicle? Or that the time change causes insomnia which deprives my tissues of oxygen? Or that the fatigue causes me to stay in my pajamas because I can't muster up the energy needed to dress? Or that the fall causes my Raynauds to turn my lips and fingers bright purple due to lack of circulation ? 

You do not want to know these things nor do you need too every single time you talk to me. Now if you asked me how you could help me? I would immediately say  "pray that I can keep moving". Simple, right? Evidently not.

As a society we have become a bunch of complainers. And, yes, I've contributed my fair share. But lately it seems to be worse than ever. I don't discount pain. It's real. And everyone's pain is different. But have we become so accustomed to "me me me" that we forget "Him Him Him"? 

Have you seen the movie "The Passion of the Christ"? If not, rent it. It's an outstanding visual of the inexplicable pain Jesus Christ bore for our sins. That's real pain. That's true love. Jesus never complained about the pain. He did, however cry out to His Father. Shouldn't that be our example? Shouldn't we be crying out to the Lord with our pain? 

Another interesting observation is that Jesus helped the thief on the cross. In the midst of being crucified He turned His head to encourage and help the thief. To assure Him that he would see him in heaven.

What if we, in the midst of our pain, helped others? Took the focus off of ourselves and concentrated on our brethren? An amazing thing happens when you do that. Your pain starts to lesson as you walk along side someone else's medical journey.  

I am not belittling pain. I know pain all too well. And, yes, there was a season in my life when it consumed me. That is exactly where the enemy wants us. When we take the focus off of ourselves, stop verbalizing every single thing, and help someone else a powerful thing happens. We die to ourselves. We give the best that we have to someone who really needs it. Slowly we realize that our pain becomes manageable. It's still there and it's real but it's doable.

Of course there are days we need to give ourselves permission to heal. Even Jesus went off into the wilderness for 40 days. Our pain can become our wilderness. We can be tempted by the enemy to succumb. Or we can be like Jesus and spend that time in communion with our Father.

Every single thing in this life happens for a reason. Pain is part of life. It can define who we are or it can be used for His glory.  

"When You said, "Seek My face," my heart said to You, 
"Your face, O LORD, I shall seek."-Psalm 27:8