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Strange name for a topic. isn't it?
I have discovered over the last ten
years living with chronic pain, that there is very much to be thankful
for concerning this pain. I was not out to find reasons to praise
God for my pain, believe me. I wanted out of it! But He had
plans for me!
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For I know the plans I have for
you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans
to give you hope and a future.
(Jer 29:11 NIV)
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I cannot tell you how many times He
led me to that scripture! And because I believe that what He says
is true, I finally realized I had to believe that my pain- as long as He
allowed me to have it- was part of His plan for my "hope and a future."
He has led me to begin sharing some
of the things He has taught me. So, here we go!
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All pain is good
It has a message and a plan.
It can be protective and supportive.
It can be physical, emotional, mental,
or spiritual.
It has a purpose in my life and should
not be shunned, avoided, or denied.
Jesus, who could, did not chose to escape
any of the pain of this earthly life,
but instead, let it do its work in His
life and ministry.
He never ignored the pain of others,
but, rather,
put it in the right context and focused
on its purpose.
In some, it brought repentance.
In others, it caused them to seek Him
for healing
- and they received so much more!
Grief was a type of pain He felt and
embraced - as we all shall.
There is no pain He is not familiar
with, nor that He cannot heal.
But most important, there is no pain
He cannot use to move us where we need to be.
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It's amazing what God must do
sometimes to get us to sit back, listen to what He has to say, and the
proceed with Him. I still struggle with spending a great deal
of quiet time with Him, but when I begin to neglect it, He literally puts
me down!
The days I am too sore to move, and
too sore to sleep, I lay still and listen to Him. How much more pleasant
it would be if I just made it part of my daily schedule.
He's reminding me in these times that
He is in control and He does have plans for my life. And what He
has begun, He will finish!
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Pain does one thing that wellness has
never done - forces me to focus!
It's easy to get distracted when everything
is going well, but the only was to deal with pain is to focus on Him.
Pain can sneak through any distraction and drop me to my knees!
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