God uses chronic pain and weakness, along with other afflictions, as his chisel for sculpting our lives. Felt weakness deepens dependence on Christ for strength each day. The weaker we feel, the harder we lean. And the harder we lean, the stronger we grow spiritually, even while our bodies waste away. To live with your "thorn" uncomplainingly-that is, sweet, patient, and free in heart to love and help others, even though every day you feel weak-is true sanctification. It is true healing for the spirit. It is a supreme victory of grace. The healing of your sinful person thus goes forward, even though the healing of your mortal body does not. -- J. I. Packer
What's worse than pain, whether emotional or physical? The answer is pain without purpose. If we don't stop to remember that our pain is being used by God to forge us into spiritual strength, then it's just tragedy. If we don't allow the pain to press us deeper into Jesus then we suffer needlessly and that's sad.
God has a plan for our physical bodies. He has already said that they will be made into something new. It will happen so we don't need to worry about an eternity of pain (providing you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior). Listen to what God has promised us:
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." ~Rev 21:3,4 (NKJV)
God has promised to heal you one day both emotionally and physically for eternity. So what does that mean for us? It doesn't mean we shouldn't seek emotional and physical health now, but it does mean we shouldn't make it our ultimate goal in life for the physical life will be over soon enough. It does mean that we can relax a little about it and keep our focus on allowing it to make us spiritually strong. It's the spirit that we need to exercise here on earth more than we need to exercise our bodies. Spend more time learning how to be "sweet, patient, and free in heart to love and help others, even though every day you feel weak" than you do looking for relief.
Father, thank you that I don't have to carry this body around forever. Thank you that a day of true rest is guaranteed me by the sacrifice of your Son. Thank you Lord that you have a plan and my future is secure and you have promised it will be pain free. But I hurt today. My body hurts, my spirit hurts. I ask you Lord to allow me, in the midst of this pain, some physical and some emotional, to still be able to reflect Jesus Christ to the people around me. Help me to reach out instead of lash out. Help me to move forward and not to stand still or move backwards. Strengthen me for your service and for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Copyright © 2005 Greg Holl. All rights reserved.
What's worse than pain, whether emotional or physical? The answer is pain without purpose. If we don't stop to remember that our pain is being used by God to forge us into spiritual strength, then it's just tragedy. If we don't allow the pain to press us deeper into Jesus then we suffer needlessly and that's sad.
God has a plan for our physical bodies. He has already said that they will be made into something new. It will happen so we don't need to worry about an eternity of pain (providing you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior). Listen to what God has promised us:
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." ~Rev 21:3,4 (NKJV)
God has promised to heal you one day both emotionally and physically for eternity. So what does that mean for us? It doesn't mean we shouldn't seek emotional and physical health now, but it does mean we shouldn't make it our ultimate goal in life for the physical life will be over soon enough. It does mean that we can relax a little about it and keep our focus on allowing it to make us spiritually strong. It's the spirit that we need to exercise here on earth more than we need to exercise our bodies. Spend more time learning how to be "sweet, patient, and free in heart to love and help others, even though every day you feel weak" than you do looking for relief.
Father, thank you that I don't have to carry this body around forever. Thank you that a day of true rest is guaranteed me by the sacrifice of your Son. Thank you Lord that you have a plan and my future is secure and you have promised it will be pain free. But I hurt today. My body hurts, my spirit hurts. I ask you Lord to allow me, in the midst of this pain, some physical and some emotional, to still be able to reflect Jesus Christ to the people around me. Help me to reach out instead of lash out. Help me to move forward and not to stand still or move backwards. Strengthen me for your service and for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Copyright © 2005 Greg Holl. All rights reserved.
