Around 2 weeks ago, I jacked up my knee. Not sure how I did it….maybe while running or basketball, who knows. I think it’s a MCL sprain or something.
It’s kept me from fully exercising and being mobile. That’s tough for me.
The other night, I was elevating my knee and icing it. After I was done, I went to move and my leg was completely frozen. I literally couldn’t move my leg without excruciating pain.
I was so frustrated and worried about driving to work the next day, asking my wife to help me, never healing and a variety of other things.
As I laid on the couch, teeth clenched in pain, a thought came to me……”I need to stop thinking about my pain and give God thanks and praise amongst the pain.” Wow.
So I did. I thanked God for His many blessings. I thanked God for teaching me to lean on Him. I even thanked Him for the pain! It felt kinda odd, but freeing.
Guess what? I started to feel better. I figured out how to hobble back to the room. I felt peace. God is good.
Now, please understand that this is not a normal thing for me. My first reaction is usually spitting out a few cuss words and soaking in my own discomfort.
I learned that even amongst pain, no matter what that pain may be, God is there, always. He’s always calling us to look up even during the darkest days…we just don’t always hear Him.
Somehow, I heard Him. No magic potions, no perfect heart, no special words on my part, nothing….I just heard Him. God’s funny that way….always showing up when we least expect Him to…teaching us to take the focus off ourselves.
Pretty awesome.
God Bless,
Paul
Meat n' Potatoes 
Pain can be a game changer and for most it rules. As someone who has battled chronic pain for a majority of my life I can say that I understand. It is difficult to remember to put God first when the pain overwhelms our thoughts. Pain goes right along with chronic illness, it too can become our focus. For some of us pain and chronic illness go hand in hand, one is not without the other. For as much as pain and chronic illness can affect our mood and our lives it is good to have a reminder of who we should be putting first. Focus and perspective can change our outlook dramatically. Thank you for your words of truth and honesty, but even more importantly thank God for his ability to love us so unconditionally.
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Amen Jenni! You have a great story and I appreciate you sharing it. My situation is obviously very minimal in comparison to your daily pain struggles. I feel for you and I’m sure it is incredibly tough to keep your chin up day in and day out. Your faith is strong and I appreciate your awesome attitude. Thanks for reading Jenni!
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All three of them are always there.
May God, the source of hope, fill you with ALL JOY AND PEACE by means of your faith in Him, so that your HOPE will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.
He is our source of HOPE and He causes it to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit! Amazing.
Thank you,
Daniel Ferris, Master CMB
(503)631-8488
danielferris@ccgmail.net
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You said it perfectly Dan! God is all we need and He’s always there. So grateful for His promises.
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This one brought a tear to my eye Paul. Been there, done that….continually go there. I think our pain brings a tear to God’s eye too. I know He has the power and ability to keep us from pain, but I know from experience, pain is what causes us to reach for Him.
I’d prefer that was not the case, but I know from experience, when things are fine, peaceful, sunny, I do not forget Him, but I don’t relate to Him or reach for Him quite as much. When the “pain” hits, whatever that pain is (emotional or physical) I have nowhere to go BUT to Him, and He always always always comforts and helps, as you say, in very unexpected delightful and memorable ways.
In my case, long ago as a single mom of 3 I told God what I missed the most was the shows of affection that you usually receive in a relationship, and that prayer was in response to emotional “pain”. I was out walking while I was praying. No sooner had the prayer escaped my thoughts, but I looked down and on the sidewalk, there was the most perfect pink flower petal in the perfect shape of a heart! (I have this one laminated). Since that time, I have received myriads of heart shaped objects….myriads! These are my love notes from God.
And this is the last of my novel here…..and I have to share God’s humor and sensitivity as well….. After having received soooooo many heart shaped things (paper, rocks, clouds, water drops on sidewalks anything you can think of) I was at the beach alone and was being kind of humorous with Him as well and I said “OK God so you have given me many many heart shaped objects…..so how about you give me one that has a hole in it so I can put it on a chain and wear…. (with kind of a smirk as I said it). Again, I took another step and in the sand was the most perfect heart shaped rock with a hole in it (You can’t make this stuff up….I was holding it this morning and smiled)….the only thing is it is almost as big as the palm of my hand. At the time it made me laugh…it still makes me smile when I see it…..pretty darned personal and sensitive and loving, a miracle really… That is what a personal relationship with the living God can be like. Like Paul….it is nothing in me, it has been pain and sorrow that has shaped that relationship, and I do not live there every day….I slip in and out of it as I pull away to do life, get hit, then come back…over and over through the years. HE IS ALWAYS THERE WAITING…makes no sense to me…but it is true.
OK My first and probably last blog entry : )
Love Mom
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Wow mom, I’ve heard a few of those stories, but not all of them! God has blessed you throughout the years and through you, He’s blessed us kids. You have triumphed as a single mom, seriously. God’s provision is awesome, even though sometimes He provides in ways that we don’t expect. You’ve always been a spiritual rock for me and I’m grateful for that.
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