PAIN HURTS

I Was Just Thinking About – PAIN HURTS.

Within one’s lifespan, all have experienced degrees of pain – and – it always hurts. A Toothache, Stubbing a Toe, Slamming a Finger in a car door are among common pains. There are also the internal pains. One can know where the hurt exists but cannot diagnose accurately the cause of it. A Doctor Specialist needs to be consulted, While he has a good idea what is causing the pain, he will do a series of tests and scans to ascertain more precisely the procedure he will follow in order to relieve the pain. The questions in Jeremiah 15:18 might be in one’s mind as petition is made before the Lord: “Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you be to me like a deceitful brook. Like waters that fail?”

Job 30:16-17 is a lament of Job that some have experienced in life. They feel as though there is no escape or relief from their pain. The words of Job: “My soul is poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold of me. The night racks my bones, and the pain that gnaws me takes no rest.” In modern times, for those who have had Hip Replacement Surgery, part of the apparatus hooked up to them is a Morphine Drip that periodically yields a pre-determined amount of morphine to ease the patient’s discomfort and pain. There is also a button one can press if an added amount of morphine is desired.

One of Job’s “friends” – Elihu – tells him that the worst is yet to come and pain will become more intense – Job 33:19-20 – “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones, so that he loathes bread, and his appetite the choicest food.” Job doesn’t need or want commiseration, nor does he need someone’s litany of pain(s) known and unknown. There are those who have the propensity to rehearse their personal maladies with the one who is already facing pain and anguish. I recently asked a very close personal friend who one could share a personal prayer request with and know that it would be held in confidence. Sadly, neither of us could identify that one person (and that included a person’s pastor).

It is surprising that Paul reached a point where he blurted out in a letter to a Church what his physical needs and limitations were. Second Corinthians 12:8, Paul draws a conclusion about his plight and need: “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.” Twice, Paul uses the word “conceited” as part of his rationale for why he is suffering. Conceited meaning: “having an excessively favorable opinion of one’s abilities and appearance.” This type “pain” can impact another’s life mentally, perhaps physically as well. What was Paul’s thorn in the flesh?

One commentator, attesting that no one knows or knew for certain what the “thorn” was,  speculates: “Theories of the thorn’s interpretation include temptation, a chronic eye problem, malaria, migraines, epilepsy, and a speech disability. Some even say that the thorn refers to a person, such as Alexander the coppersmith, who did Paul a great deal of harm. No one can say for sure what Paul’s thorn in the flesh was, but it was a source of real pain in the apostle’s life.

How did Paul cope and function with whatever his “thorn” was? Second Corinthians 12:9 contains this word of promise and encouragement for The Lord’s servant: “The said to me - My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." How should the Lord’s servant respond? “I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” The POWER of Christ and His all-sufficiency will be his source for continuing on despite the "thorn" and limitations.

Some through the waters, some through the flood,
Some through the fire, but all through the blood;
Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,
In the night season and all the day long.

Prayerfully – Consider these things with me.