The Thing About PainSample

Paradoxical Gift

We all have loved deeply and have been heart broken or felt betrayed, disappointed, isolated and alone in midst of a crowd, put down by major criticism (specially from close ones... those hurt the most). We all have at some point in time of our lives have fallen face down with bruised knees and elbows and have been scarred.

All this has lead to pain, shame, guilt...you may even have your own name to it. Most of this has caused us to disconnect or refrain from taking the risk to get hurt again.

Here is the thing about pain, no matter how badly we desire to have a world without pain it's yet one of the best gift of God to us. 

There is a disease which is Congenital insensitivity to pain (CIP), a person cannot feel (and has never felt) physical pain. The person cannot feel pain, they may not respond to problems, thus being at a higher risk of more severe diseases.

A statement from a mother of a 5 yr old girl who cannot feel pain “Some people would say that’s a good thing. But no, it’s not,” says Tara Blocker, Ashlyn’s mother. “Pain’s there for a reason. It lets your body know something’s wrong and it needs to be fixed. I’d give anything for her to feel pain.”

For beginners let's start with this understanding, pain is necessary for us to respond, it's the sign that we are alive.

If we didn't feel pain we would be as the rocks on the seashore who never respond to the bashing of the waves against them but silently change shape as they get hit hard. Being alive gives us the privilege to respond when we get hit hard and choose what shape we will take, for He who is with you has overcome the world for you. 

You could pray for courage today. 

Daddy, thank you for this life and the signs that let me know that I am alive. Thank you for the Spirit of comforter who brings comfort to me in midst of tribulations of my life. I pray that you give me boldness to not shield from pain but to go all in through it. That I would learn to feel the pain in the moment and respond, rather than live in the pain be bitter. 

Have a brave day!