Going into Pain

As a mother who has raised children without organized sports..,

there is a character gap that is difficult to teach. It is a concept that I may not be appreciated for bringing up, but it is a huge beam in our eyes that affects our health and carries over into most parts of our life. It is that life is full of pain. It is not that everyone doesn’t get this fact hurled at them, eventually. It is that the solution is not avoidance of all things unpleasant or painful. The solution is learning how to go into pain, and for the sake of this article, know I am referring to physical pain.

Let me give a few examples that most people have experienced. If you have an infected wound, we all understand that you must get the infection out, and it is painful. A lady has many female pains, from cycles to labors, that going into the pain is the way out. Mourning is emotional pain that must be worked through; denial, or stopping eternally in pain, never brings healing.

In the real world, hard work causes pain.

Takes sacrifice. It’s a fight that you must push into, but please don’t confuse will, with stubbornness. There is a time to yield. There is a time to not fight, but use discernment. Are you really fighting God? Or is this just your flesh complaining?

I have children. As a general rule, there are times that there is a fight. For the sake of my children, I must stress them. “Shocking” as it is, my children do not always cheerfully do as they are told. I have often displeased them; it is not that I don’t love them. I do. I am willing for them not to like me in order to teach them something that their character needs. It is often painful for both of us. Not pushing into that pain, will not bear the fruit in their lives that is best for them.

My body does not joyfully do everything I ask that is good for it. In fact, it whines and complains, not unlike an untrained child. Honestly, I would love to spend my days eating pizza and nachos, while I sit on the couch with a good book (and by good, I mean nothing requiring my mind). Relax, I don’t do this. 🙂 My body does not always want to wake up early. I don’t always “feel” like exercising or eating well or even going to bed on time. Sometimes, it is hard. If you wait for your body to feel like doing right, you will be waiting a long time. Those times will get further and further apart. If you decide to begin, it will be hard and painful. And if you are like me, you may have failed many times in your attempts. It can be scary to even begin. Fear of failure is real. If you are unprepared to go into pain, you will not succeed. Once you know that this will hurt some, smile, and dig in your heels. Be encouraged and encourage others by pushing into it.

The biggest key to succeeding is setting your mind.

If you look for others to pull you, you will fail. It is only our individual responsibility to make wise choices. As lonely as it may sound, you must plan on obeying alone. Standing alone. If God grants you an encouraging friend, it is a gift, not a right. Beg God for the strength to persevere. Are you too proud to ask? I need help. I need strength. I need encouragement. Am I so stubborn that I foolishly don’t ask God? How would I, a selfish person, respond if MY child asked for help? And if you fail, it is a chapter in the book, not the entire book. You can make wise choices for your health, for your life, today.

We all fail. Don’t let that define you, but it may mean that you need to try a different option. Once you are willing to let go of your way, your feelings, your pleasure, it opens up new options. And being willing to go into unpleasantness, into pain, carries over into every area of your life. You might find answers and encouragement in places you would never have seen, had you been tightly holding on to your way, stopping every time it gets hard. So with all knowledge of what I am asking, relax, smile and be strong…push through.

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. – Joshua 1:9