ENDURING PAIN

On my recent whirlwind tour of Texas for two of the grands' birthdays, it was announced by both set of parents that it was time to go for a checkup and get a few inoculations (that's medical mumbo jumbo for shots/needles).  Neither the 11 year old, nor the one year old will be happy with the job those needles perform.




With that discussion and all the hoop a rah in the media lately about vaccinations (NO--I DO NOT want to discuss this with you), I was taken back to my own childhood and my fear which morphed into phobia about the pain caused by needles.  Sickly until I was a teenager, my rear end felt the sting and pain caused by many a penicillin shot.  Until my adult years, I had a dread and almost panic over anyone coming near me with a needle.  Fast forward---a few surgeries, a few cyst drains (you should SEE the size of that needle!), many shots later, I do not even blink an eye when that needle is headed my way.  I have learned to bear the pain and know it is only temporary.  While a child, I had not endured a lot of pain and the pain those needles  terrified me.  As an adult, I have endured a great deal of pain--physically and emotionally.  I now know from experience, I will survive that discomfort.  I went to the dentist yesterday for a butterfly (what I prefer calling a root canal--you have to agree the term root canal itself is enough to send you running for the door).  They now put something on your gums to numb them somewhat and lessen the injection pain.  By the time he finished injecting, I was the fat lipped lady singing "No more pain".  I have become accustomed to pain and though I do not like it, I accept it happens.

As a sweet innocent baby, we are born into a fallen world where pain is present.  It is not a question of if we will endure pain, but when that pain will come.  You do not get out of this life without enduring some form of pain at some point.  Do we build tolerance for pain the more we experience it?  I would say ~ it depends upon the individual and their personality.  I certainly have built a tolerance for injections---emotional pain though has caused me to still shy away from the possibility of enduring any more of that type of pain.

When I am in pain or suffering, I endeavor to remember Jesus ~ Himself endured not only pain but great suffering ~ to the point of sweating blood.  Our trials of pain and suffering are all part of the road to sanctification.  How can we learn to endure the pain and discomfort of any form of pain or suffering?  We look to our example ~ Jesus.  We have not suffered anything which He does not understand.  God Himself allowed Jesus to suffer and I take great comfort in this scripture which explains why we will endure---the answer is always JESUS.


3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

 the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 

4 who comforts us in all our troubles, 

so that we can comfort those in any trouble 

with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 

5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ,

 so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 

6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; 

if we are comforted, it is for your comfort,

 which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.

 7 And our hope for you is firm,

 because we know that just as you share in our sufferings,

 so also you share in our comfort. 

II Corinthians 1:3-7

2 comments

  1. Enduring pain from time to time is a part of life, Lulu. It is wise to remember the pain Jesus endured for our sakes so we don't descend into a pity party.
    Blessings!

    ReplyDelete

Your comments keep my writing and often cause me to think. A written form of a hug or a pat on the back and an occasional slap into reality---I treasure them all!