It is funny how our relationship with pain, grows and evolves, as anything else does. As we grow older, wiser, experience more—not more pain necessarily; our possibly once toxic relationship with pain, can become cordial, healthy, and functional. Pain and I are not friends, but she is not my enemy either.
If we look up the definition of pain, it says, “physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury.” What is interesting about this definition, out of the three listed online, this one deals with the physicality of pain. Metaphorically and literally, any trauma we receive eventually causes physical suffering or discomfort, regardless if the trauma is physical or emotional. The injuries life gives us, and the suffering we go through are taxing, painful, and discomforting.
I wish I could tell you that there is a secret to “mastering pain”, but what I can tell you, is that, our relationship with pain is a peculiar one, that I am unsure if mastery is key, but surrenderance? Going back to the definition, if you have ever experienced any sort of physical injury, the healing process is always painful, you can never get around it. Even if you take medicine, the pain will eventually come back. The pain is inevitable in the healing process. Think about how frustrating it would be to fight the pain of the injury while healing vs. surrendering to the pain and fighting through it to gain healing.
Just like the healing from an injury metaphor, I have learned to sit with pain and talk to her, see how she is doing, and talk about our nonexistence kids, ya know, the pleasantries. But more importantly, I have learned to understand her, versus judge her, or avoid her. A philosopher by the name of Shawn Carter, better known as Jay-Z and even better known as Beyonce’s husband, once said in his song “Lost One,” “But time don’t go back it goes forward, can’t run from the pain, go towards it.”
Pain has been coming over a lot lately, and as recently as today, pain came, and God stood up and protected me and gave me peace. He told me, “I got it, sit down, relax, and write the blog.” I was wounded because of something that happened between my family and I, (let us not even try to unpack that), but it hurt, a lot. I found it difficult to want to push through the pain, talk to her or see her, so instead I invited God in the conversation, and He talked to the pain for me. Spoke the scriptures to her, like he did Satan that time Satan tempted Him in the desert (Matthew 4 1:11). And He told pain the truth, He told her what she needed to hear to step aside so I could stand and keep moving…..
I no longer run from pain because I know God is my protector. I also surrender to God, because I know he defeated the world when he laid down his life and rose on the third day (“I have told you this so that you will have peace by holding united to me. The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world!”- John 16:33). Stop running from pain and invite God into it. Allow him to give you a peace that surpasses all understanding, and a healing that allows pain to no longer allow you to stay injured or become injured again, “No weapons formed against you shall prosper.”- Isaiah 54:17. Pain does not have to be your friend, but she for sure does not have to be your enemy. Pain is inevitable, but that does not mean that God does not love you. It is a part of life. Remember that Jesus experienced the greatest pain so that the pain we go through, we know the ending, everlasting life. Pain is not your enemy, and neither is God for allowing you to experience pain, but always be encouraged my brothers and sisters. Always.
A Journey to Summer 