October 18th
Pain's Blessings
When I was just a toddler growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, USA there was a "floor furnace" in the hall of our small 2 bedroom house. During the winter when it was on I soon learned to walk around it and not ON it (at least bare footed!) In recent years when my grandchildren have been visiting us there was a lesson to be learned by the free standing fire place we have in the family room. What? Well, obviously, if you touch it when the fire is burning, one will burn their fingers. I suppose we all have had to learn the hard way, huh?
BUT, what if you could not feel the pain? Sound strange? Well, there are people born with such a condition. Take for example, that little girl (whom I am thinking of now) who almost never cried. She never cried when she fell; she never cried when she bumped her head; she didn't even cry when she burned her hand on the hot stove
.The doctors discovered that she had a defect in her central nervous system for which no cure is known. SHE COULD NOT FEEL PAIN. Consequently, she had to be watched all the time. For example, she might break a bone and not know it - correcting her by spanking regarding the warning of a hot stove and knives would do no good either. (She wouldn't even feel it!) BOTTOM LINE:
Life Without Pain Can Be Really Dangerous!!
Now, here is where there are some Words for Courageous Living! The scripture: (Hebrews 12:6-8) and then the scripture application.
"The Lord corrects those He loves. And He punishes those He loves. And He punishes everyone He accepts as His child...If you are never punished (and every son must be punished), you are not true children and not really sons."The Lord does, my friend, allow troubles into our lives for reasons and for purposes. I suppose it boils downs to the fact that if we accept the warnings of little chastisements we will be kept from the bigger hurts JUST as the nervous system keeps us away from fires and other injuries.
May I pray for you?
Lord, it is most difficult being in difficult situations that are painful. I pray that you will bless this one is in such a painful situation to praise you that they can "feel" so that they can "be blessed" in the long run. In the name of Jesus.
Amen