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"It is hard to forget pain, but it is even harder to remember sweetness. There is no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace." (Chuck Palahniuk)
"Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences but shouts to us in our pain. Pain is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." (C.S. Lewis)
My husband had a 200-pound object dropped on his foot recently. The pain was so wrenching that he felt nauseated and wanted something to wrap around his big toe, which demanded a significant amount of attention.
I lost a toenail years ago due to someone dropping a large can of beans on it. I wouldn't remember such a small incident except that it left a scar to prove its occurrence.
Pain documents a happening. Because of its severity, we remember events: the pain of childbirth, of losing a loved one, of making a mistake. Pain is our teacher. It is a gift from the world to respect situations lest they result in pain.
Without pain in our lives, we can drift off to sleep, spiritually speaking, with no particular reason to pay attention to God. Physical, mental, or spiritual anguish that no one intentionally seeks can be God's gift to us, for affliction and suffering can often drive us to God, asking, "Why?"
But the greatest gift of pain was received when Christ died on the cross for our sins. He knew that the pain would be so great that He prayed to His Father asking Him to remove this cup that He had been sent to the world for. The thought of being separated from the Father for our sins caused Jesus to sweat drops of blood in painful anguish.
Philippians 2:5-8 – Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! (NIV)
For us, the ultimate pain is to die to our old self and accept the gift of Christ's pain for our sins.
2 Corinthians 5:21 – God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV)
It is the pain of the world that causes us to seek the comfort of Jesus, for the opposite of pain is peace. That is the reason that He was sent to us, the world, for He is our peace on earth.
Prayer: Father, may we take sweet refuge in You to lessen our pain till this world passes away. You give us a peace that surpasses all the pain that this world offers. Shall we ask for more pain that we may experience more peace? Make us only aware of Your great peace, shaken down, pressed tightly, overflowing. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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Wonderful word.
Good reminder Terry.
Well done, Terry. Please write again.
Thank you for sharing. The ultimate pain is so very difficult for us at times. We prefer to focus on the little pains of life. Thank you for pointing us in the right direction.
Dear Terry,
I really enjoy your story “The Gift Of Pain”.
Thank you.
Terry
How true are your thought’s for it is in times of pain of all kinds that draw us closer to God. Thanks for your analogy much appreciated.
God bless.
Terry, thank you for sharing with us today! I’m grateful you share this awesome message with all of us. May I never forget that where there is pain! There is also Gain through the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you again, and may God continue to bless you, myself and others.
Hi Terry,
How appropriate to have a devotional about pain. On a long waiting list for a revision of my hip replacement I have endured my fair share of pain. But luckily a doctor prescribed a pain-killer that relieves me of most of my pain. But I have to take the pill. And so it is with our faith. Christ the great Physician can relieve us of all the pain of our sin and shame; but we must go to Him for the relief.
Blessings.
Hello Terry,
Thank you for your poignant, courageous, devotional that appeared today in PresbyCan. It was well written, well defended in Scripture, and an important message to relay. Seldom do we hear about God’s character as revealed in pain, only how we can “be happy”, while disregarding the pain of those around us and pain’s instructiveness.
Keep writing, God has important things to say through you.
We are in His grip.
Dear Terry Karr,
Thank you for such a meaty devotional.
I especially appreciate: “Prayer: Father, may we take sweet refuge in You to lessen our pain till this world passes away.” This line of the prayer said to me: “When you look toward being older, and possibly are fearing suffering in passing away, remember that Jesus Christ suffered too, and he’ll be with you to comfort you and to be your solace.”
Maybe this is not exactly what you intended people to get from that line, but that’s something of what I got from it!
And, yes I appreciated the whole devotional. Thanks. I pray that God will keep you writing.
Terry,
This is very good. I remember years back I was in a situation where I was trying to do God’s will, but I think I got off the “anointed trail” a bit.
Then, an ulcer came out of nowhere and put me flat on my back in the ICU ward. I almost died and they put 6 pints of blood back into me to keep me on the planet.
Well, with a few days in the hospital, I recovered quickly and then corrected my course to get myself more in line with God’s will.
Yes, He did get my attention!
God love you & keep on writing,
(Texas)
Bless you!
That was a thought provoking writing!
May the scars of our pain cause us to be always thankful to God for carrying us through it.
Keep it up!
Terry,
I just wanted to thank you for your devotional. I took a copy up to the Health Care Facility where my friend is now residing, and it really hit home with her. She has dementia, so it was great to see God speaking to her through your devotional. I am sure you will keep up the writing as God leads you.
I also write devotionals and I find it is better to wait until God gives it to me, then the words flow onto the computer screen. It is humbling to be the tool God uses.
God bless you.
Beautiful truth expressed in a clear and concise manner.
I have been unable to walk for a few months which is a very odd experience for me since I have always been on the go. However, I have seen God’s working in it all to help so many people including me.
“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures”, would be a good summary.
Thanks again for this very important reminder of how much we can learn when the Lord gets our attention.
Dear Terry,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. The subject of pain spoke volumes to me, as I have lived with pain for many years. Although pain can be troublesome, the Lord has always been close by my side, all the way. God bless you. Write again.
(California)