Your Intimate Relationship with Pain

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18)

I am typing this devotion with one hand. I recently had Rotator Cuff surgery, and my left shoulder is immobilized. This was my ninth surgery. Some procedures were simple and outpatient, while others were life-changing. Many of us have experienced the lack of control that comes with pain. Rather than trying to ignore this intimate relationship, embracing pain’s reality is the way through its clutches.

You can try disregarding the pain, but suffering can be so consuming it will drag you down kicking and screaming. You can try masking the pain, but do so for long; you will suffer in another way. Painkillers are highly addictive, and coming down is its own form of hell. Oxycodone was necessary for the first few days after my surgery, but the discomfort from the jitters when the pills ran out was wicked.

Still, others ignore the pain by pretending they don’t have a problem. My doctor told me many people put off their rotator cuff surgery, and by the time they cannot endure the discomfort, it is too late for the surgery. Their shoulder is too damaged to repair. But pain is not to be disregarded, masked, or ignored. The way Through the pain is to give in and ride the pain, knowing it will not last forever.

My first Rotator cuff surgery was more uncomfortable than my second. Ironically, the recent shoulder surgery had more damage, yet I handled the pain with less soreness. Knowing what to expect and how the healing would occur diminished the anxiety and allowed me to remain calm, which kept nerve flare-ups to a minimum. Today, focus on the painful moments in your life. How did you respond to the painful time in your life? Prayerfully  prepare for the next time when the pain will be a reality in your life. Ask God to give you the calming trust to embrace the pain knowing God will carry us safely through.