We're all the kind of people who have to
be dong things, and we have to do them right and we have to finish what
we start. We're all very active people - or were before we got this
pain. We all seem to be the kind of people who do what needs to be done
regardless of how we feel or the pain we're in. We don't make excuses
for ourselves.
I can recall thinking at times that a lot of folks, when confronted with a situation that seemed impossible or incredibly difficult, would simply say "it can't be done" and give up. They wouldn't even try. But, if the situation was something that involved the person's children, a mother would always find a way to take care of it and would in fact get it done. They did it because it had to be done. There was no "it's impossible" for them- they couldn't think that way because it was something their children needed; so they just did it. It might take them a little longer, but somehow they'd find a way to fill that need. That's how I see all of us who live with pain. The doctors may say we can't do something; our own bodies might say we can't do it; but somehow we manage to pull it off anyway most of the time. Yes, we usually pay for it afterward, but we get the job done. And generally we get it done and do it with a smile.
We don't want pity; and we often tend to do too much. Not because no one will help us and not because we haven't learned better, but simply because we want to do things. We're not the kind of people who can sit back and let life pass by us. We want to participate in it; we want to not only do for ourselves but to do for others too.
In fact I think I can say that people who live with severe pain are the kind of folks who were generally involved with helping others in some way; of doing for others. Maybe it was through their job, or church or volunteer work or something else, but somehow we all seem to be that kind of person.
When I read the threads here that you guys start, talking about things you're doing or have done and what happened, it strikes me that we do more when we're in this kind of pain than many people who are healthy do on their best days! Truly, if you think about it, it's true!
Another truth is that most healthy people couldn't handle being in the pain we're in regularly. They really couldn't. Oh sure, we have our days when we get down and it's really great to be able to come here to vent to others who understand. But even then we're not looking for pity - it's just understanding we want and at least here we can get that.
It gets very frustrating for us when others don't understand and even more when they imply or say that we must be lying about our condition. I've come to realize why they feel that way though. It's because they know they couldn't do what we do if they had that kind of pain, and they don't want to believe that we can do it because it makes them look bad. As long as they refuse to believe us, then they don't have to face themselves. And that's what they're really doing you know... they're consciously refusing to believe us, and I include some doctors in this as well. They're human too and they too couldn't possibly handle what we go through on a regular basis so they pretend that we're exaggerating.
So when we're feeling down, let's remember that we aren't weak and ineffectual - we have the strength and power of God; and that God has allowed this pain in our lives for a reason. He is and will continue to bring about something wonderful from it too. (In fact, I think we can all see some of the character He's built in us because of it already) He is the one who enables us to deal with it. When we feel down we need to remember that our strength comes from Him, not ourselves. I think that sometimes we tend to forget that and try to rely on ourselves too much. That's when things happen to get us down too. It's to remind us that He's our strength and get us looking up instead of at ourselves or the pain. We can know that He's given us a job to do that only we can do and no others. We're to be light in this dark world and show people that we can rejoice even living with pain because we know that He will work all things out for our good.
1 Peter 4:12–13 —Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. *But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. *
Romans 5:3–5 —Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; *perseverance, character; and character, hope. *And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. *
James 1:2–4 —Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, *because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. *Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
2 Peter 1:5–8 —For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; *and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; *and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. *For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. *
I can recall thinking at times that a lot of folks, when confronted with a situation that seemed impossible or incredibly difficult, would simply say "it can't be done" and give up. They wouldn't even try. But, if the situation was something that involved the person's children, a mother would always find a way to take care of it and would in fact get it done. They did it because it had to be done. There was no "it's impossible" for them- they couldn't think that way because it was something their children needed; so they just did it. It might take them a little longer, but somehow they'd find a way to fill that need. That's how I see all of us who live with pain. The doctors may say we can't do something; our own bodies might say we can't do it; but somehow we manage to pull it off anyway most of the time. Yes, we usually pay for it afterward, but we get the job done. And generally we get it done and do it with a smile.
We don't want pity; and we often tend to do too much. Not because no one will help us and not because we haven't learned better, but simply because we want to do things. We're not the kind of people who can sit back and let life pass by us. We want to participate in it; we want to not only do for ourselves but to do for others too.
In fact I think I can say that people who live with severe pain are the kind of folks who were generally involved with helping others in some way; of doing for others. Maybe it was through their job, or church or volunteer work or something else, but somehow we all seem to be that kind of person.
When I read the threads here that you guys start, talking about things you're doing or have done and what happened, it strikes me that we do more when we're in this kind of pain than many people who are healthy do on their best days! Truly, if you think about it, it's true!
Another truth is that most healthy people couldn't handle being in the pain we're in regularly. They really couldn't. Oh sure, we have our days when we get down and it's really great to be able to come here to vent to others who understand. But even then we're not looking for pity - it's just understanding we want and at least here we can get that.
It gets very frustrating for us when others don't understand and even more when they imply or say that we must be lying about our condition. I've come to realize why they feel that way though. It's because they know they couldn't do what we do if they had that kind of pain, and they don't want to believe that we can do it because it makes them look bad. As long as they refuse to believe us, then they don't have to face themselves. And that's what they're really doing you know... they're consciously refusing to believe us, and I include some doctors in this as well. They're human too and they too couldn't possibly handle what we go through on a regular basis so they pretend that we're exaggerating.
So when we're feeling down, let's remember that we aren't weak and ineffectual - we have the strength and power of God; and that God has allowed this pain in our lives for a reason. He is and will continue to bring about something wonderful from it too. (In fact, I think we can all see some of the character He's built in us because of it already) He is the one who enables us to deal with it. When we feel down we need to remember that our strength comes from Him, not ourselves. I think that sometimes we tend to forget that and try to rely on ourselves too much. That's when things happen to get us down too. It's to remind us that He's our strength and get us looking up instead of at ourselves or the pain. We can know that He's given us a job to do that only we can do and no others. We're to be light in this dark world and show people that we can rejoice even living with pain because we know that He will work all things out for our good.
1 Peter 4:12–13 —Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. *But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. *
Romans 5:3–5 —Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; *perseverance, character; and character, hope. *And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. *
James 1:2–4 —Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, *because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. *Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
2 Peter 1:5–8 —For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; *and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; *and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. *For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. *
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