Sickness and Pain

Sickness and pain whether physical, emotional or psychological is a part of life's journey while we are confined to the earth suit we live in. The suffering some people go through along life's journey is excruciatingly painful and sometimes long lasting.

Often the encouragement given by well meaning people is, "The good thing about it is that you are safe in the Father's care no matter the outcome of the situation you find yourself in.  Just rest in His love for you that He may be glorified in whatever the outcome of your pain is."

Often the response is an apology for not trusting God more, or the admission that they are being overwhelmed with fear and doubts as if by doing so they aren’t living up to the expectation of my prayer for them.  That only adds to their pain, it doesn’t lighten the load.  And prayers are never something to live up to, but to find refuge in.

When we pray we ask God to do something.  We are not pressuring the paining person to pretend they are doing better.  Yet sometimes the person prayed for is under pressure to respond in a positive manner?  Someone prays for healing and we have to act healed, or for joy and we have to smile and act happy afterwards.  What has ridiculous religion done to believers?  Has it made people believe that the trusting life in God means a life without pain, without seasons of doubt, or without blinding tears?

If so, why did Paul tell us not only to rejoice with those that rejoice, but also to weep with those who weep?  Why did Jesus during his time on earth offer up “prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears?”  If Jesus found the reality of the broken creation so painful, that it led him to tears, and even to doubt God’s presence with him on the cross, why would we think we should be stronger?  He wants to have fellowship with us in our suffering as much as in our joy.

When someone prays for you in you season of sickness, please don’t feel that you need to pretend all is well even if they pressure you to. Realize that God is going through your pain with you.  When we pray we should not want people to pretend to confess to healing when their guts are churning inside. We need to encourage people to hold their pain before Him until His rest finds them. Resting in God in our tears, anguish, and doubts opens a door to greater wisdom and engagement than any pretense of healing ever will.

Some of the best moments with God have come out of tear-stained eyes and when healing comes you faith in God is strengthened and you won't lose faith in God if healing doesn't happen.

Yes, pain hurts, and life stinks on times, that is normal thing in the earth realm. One way to deal with pain, fear, hurt, and disappointment, is to realize that it’s part of the world we live in. People are suffering with varying degrees of pain. We can can either have a pity party for ourselves because of our pain...or we can try to help others through their pain, which in turn will help us.

Jesus said that He would never leave us or forsake us...that means that when we suffer He is with us as God was with Him in His suffering.

\- Glenn Regular