Friday, November 14, 2014

Living with Pain- My Perspective

            Pain is not something new to the follower of Yahweh. It is not how God originally intended for life to be, but due to the fall of man in Genesis 3 pain has become a part of life. God promised Eve that she would experience pain during childbirth Gen 3:16. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul tells of a thorn that was given to him to help keep him from getting conceited. This should give us as believers some comfort that in our weakness God is getting the glory for the strength we do have. It is not of ourselves. I know suffering from fibromyalgia has changed my life and my perspective on life. And that is what things boil down to is perspective. Paul choose to see his strength lying in his weakness, and coming directly from God.
            I like Paul realize that it is no longer my own strength that things get accomplished, but through the power of Christ I am able to handle most anything. I remember what it was like to be completely healthy and do whatever I wanted; I would be remised to say I don’t miss it. However, due to my current circumstances I have grown closer and more in tune to the Holy Spirit. I can only hope to maintain the attitude of Job (Job 1:21). God gives and he takes away, but blessed be the name of the Lord. It is never easy trying to live in constant pain or dealing with the inability to concentrate going through what is called fibro-fog. Job was a special man he lost everything except for his wife, and she wanted him to curse God and die. Job 2:9. Job not only lost his lively hood, his kids, his home, he ended up losing his health to the point that he was covered in boils. Leaving him not only in a depressed state but in constant pain. Even with all that he trusted God.
            While chronic pain has taken much away from me, it has also given me something I would never have gained without it, a stronger confidence in God. There are some in the Fibro community who will disagree with me, and that is okay.  I believe it has allowed me to trust that God has a plan for my life beyond what I can comprehend, there is a Christian rapper named Trip Lee that I really connect with because he suffers from a similar condition known as CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). I mention him because he not only raps but wants to be a pastor (which is what I am studying to become). Because with Fibromyalgia comes a very heavy fatigue some days. I have met the man in person and he is very down to earth and loves Jesus very much. On another note back to my point God is working something together for my good, I have a life verse I hold on to dearly it is Romans 8:28.
            So all of this to say, don’t allow the circumstances of life to dictate how you view life. Remember it is all about perspective, you can choose to view the glass as half empty or half full. It is my hope that you will see it as full and running over because of the work Christ has done on our behalf. Romans 5:8, 1 Peter 2:23-25.


-Preach

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