Saturday, July 10, 2010

The Pain

One of the "products" of getting old is pain.  Things that weren't a problem before are now a problem.  I am currently experiencing back problems and other physical problems that I didn't have before.  I feel as though I am in a lot of pain.

My son had just come from running and he had a shirt on that said this: 


What does that mean?  Pain can make us weak.  We don't like to be weak.  Weak makes us incapable of performing at our best!  My son said that what it means is, "It [pain] makes us stronger!"  Think about that "pain makes us stronger".  What are you doing with your pain?  How can your pain make you stronger?  Jesus' death was painful, yet it made the whole world a lot stronger than before.  When Paul was suffering with pain, Jesus gave him a few words.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.   2 Corinthians 12:9
How is the pain your going through making you more powerful in Christ? Maybe right now, you don't know Christ and you are experiencing pain...physical, emotional and spiritual pain.  God's grace is found in the person of Jesus Christ.  He endured the pain for you on the cross, so that you can have a relationship with God right now.  Do you want to be forgiven?  Do you want eternal life in heaven?  Just repeat this short prayer and mean it from your heart.  God will hear you.

God, I am sorry for what I have done.  I have trusted in myself instead of you.  I now want to change my life.  I want Christ to be the center of my life.  I ask for your forgiveness, love, and healing.  I know that Jesus died for me on the cross for me.  I now turn my life over to you and will follow you now even when I don't understand it.  Thank you for hearing me.  In Jesus name.  AMEN!
If you said that prayer, welcome to God's family.  I encourage you to email me or contact a local church and tell everyone about your new life.  The pain can now be handled by the freedom we have in Christ.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I like how your son described pain 'it makes us stronger.' Comparing this to biking it is sometimes painful when biking or other forms of exercise like your son running, but that exercise makes us stronger if we continue through the pain and come out successful on the other side. Loved the post.