The Greater the Pain

It is certainly important to address pain at the front end of my messages to you.

You may be in a lot of pain or you may have low grade discomfort.

Some people have a huge pain tolerance, others are incredibly sensitive.

One of the problems with pain is that it is subjective, meaning we can’t measure it and equate one person’s pain with that of anyone else’s.

It’s easy to gloss over this fact that pain is subjective, but it is our lack of appreciating how different others think and feel when compared with ourselves that fuels many of the unnecessary conflicts we might be engaging in.

If we are stoic, we expect others to suck it up and handle their pain as well as we do ours. If we are sensitive, or if the amount of pain we are living with is indescribably bad, then we can be quick to be irritated and blame others for being so insensitive to our suffering. Even if it sounds nice to imagine that someone else’s sympathy might in some way reduce our discomfort, the fact of the matter is they really have no good way of relating. Our pain in us does not transfer to them, just our attitude.

The greater your pain, and it does not matter what kind it is – physical, emotional, or spiritual, the longer it will take to recover. Also it may mean that recovery will require more elements coming together. You may need a medication. You may need a friend. You may need a family of friends. You may need all of this and more. Every component of pain recovery is important, but the most important one will be found in the still point.

When we intentionally become quiet and still we open ourselves up to receive something no other human being is equipped to give us. It is usually not instant, but ultimately it is the deepest, most lasting source of healing possible. This is because it comes with a more profound experience of God’s love compared to times when we are on easy street. If this doesn’t make much sense then you haven’t been there.