No Pain Please

I know a little something about pain. In the past seven years, I’ve had FOUR surgeries: A total reconstruction of my foot, skin cancer removal, two different knee surgeries, plus an upcoming fifth surgery: a total knee replacement. (All of these, except two, have been due to past sports injuries from my younger years!) To say that I know what physical pain feels like would be an understatement. I don’t know of many people who like pain. In fact, most people avoid pain at all costs. If we had a choice as to whether we would experience pain or not, I think our response would be: “No pain please!”But not all pain is bad, not even physical pain.I have learned, with all the surgeries I have been through, that while certain types of pain can be an indicator that something is indeed wrong, other types of pain are a sign that healing is happening. In order for healing to happen, I am going to feel some pain. While spending months in physical therapy, in order for me to get back full use of the once injured areas of my body, I am having to go through some really intense pain.This type of pain is not alerting me that something is wrong, but in fact, just the opposite: it’s letting me know that healing is happening to my body. That muscles and tendons are forming back together, that nerves are reconnecting back to their proper place, and that the areas once injured are soon to be back to normal, healthy usage.But there’s one thing that has to happen in order for me to get back to living a healthy, active, uninjured life and that is PAIN.I have to walk through PAIN to get to HEALTH.I have to walk through PAIN to get to WHOLENESS.I have to walk through PAIN to get back my active, healthy lifestyle.PAIN is what stands between me and my normal life again.Not only is this true in our physical lives, it is most certainly true in our spiritual lives as well!

Romans 5: 3-5 tells us that “we are to rejoice in our sufferings (pain) because our suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope… and hope does not disappoint us.”In other words: THERE IS PURPOSE IN OUR PAIN!

The apostle Paul even takes it a step further and tells us to “REJOICE in our sufferings (pain).”I don’t know about you, but experiencing pain is hard enough to deal with, much less rejoicing in our pain! But Paul (inspired by the Holy Spirit) doesn’t stop there.  He goes on to say that we can rejoice in the pain we are walking through because out of our pain… perseverance (endurance, the ability to not quit) is produced in us… and out of that perseverance, our godly character (doing what is right in the eyes of God) is formed within us… and out of our character, something beautiful is produced in our lives: HOPE.The HOPE to believe again!The HOPE that better days are ahead!The HOPE that God does hear our prayers and He’s working in areas that we don’t even know about!The HOPE that there is a great purpose, even in our greatest pain.And it all begins by EMBRACING THE PAIN…not rejecting the pain, not covering up the pain, not medicating the pain, not acting as if the pain isn’t there, but rejoicing in the pain we are walking through… trusting that the pain is, in fact, bringing about great healing to our lives!Sometimes, the pain is there to warn you of something that is wrong. Listen to that pain in your life and respond accordingly.But other times, the pain is there to let you know healing is happening. If you don’t give up, don’t reject it, don’t mask it, and don’t despise it.Pain can be a good thing… so good that we can even rejoice that it’s there because our healing is coming!What are those areas in your life that you feel the PAIN?Are you experiencing pain because something is wrong and it needs your attention?  If so, then seek out godly counsel through a trained Christian counselor, pastor, or trusted leader in your life.  Take the necessary steps they give you to address your pain, so that you can get on the road to healing and wholeness.Or is it there because you have properly identified your pain, allowing it to be uncovered and for others to speak to it? And thus, allowing God to touch that place in your heart?  Recognizing now that healing is indeed happening? Choosing to rejoice in your pain… knowing that great things are being produced in your life because of your pain?

DO NOT REJECT YOUR PAIN.

Embrace the pain and commit to walking through it… receiving God’s promise of perseverance, character, and hope being produced in your life.  And while you’re at it: REJOICE in those sufferings and pain, having great faith that on the other side of your greatest pain is your greatest purpose and your greatest healing!