P.A.I.N. Promotion Anticipating Incredible News

By: Nancy Abiera

 

Learning is a gift. Even if pain is your teacher. Anonymous” Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.” James 1:2-5 *******************

Pain is something people avoid. No one wants to experience pain. When one has a headache, they pop in their mouth a painkiller pill. When someone is in pain emotionally, they numb it by over-eating or not eating, take drugs or alcohol, go shopping as therapy, while others up-addicted to sex. Pain, when mixed with pleasure giving activities, is much easier to deal with yet it only acts as a band-aid. It only deals with the surface issue and not the real root problem.

Before we can heal from the pain, we need to look at the underlying issues. First, we need to change our perspective of how to process pain. We can ask ourselves the following questions: first, did we cause the pain? In other words, is the pain self-inflicted? Is the pain caused by a mistake on our part? If this is the case, we can reflect on what we can learn from this pain. Confront the pain head-on. Stop blaming and self-condemning as these are counter-productive and useless. Trace back how the pain or mistake started and in between the process, look for ways we can learn from it. I heard that when we learn from our mistakes, it is no longer a mistake but a lesson. In addition, good people learn from their mistakes. However, great people learn from other people’s mistakes.

Secondly, was the pain or mistake caused by other people? We cannot change those people but we can change how we can react to those people. Instead of wasting our time focusing our angry feelings and thoughts on them, we can choose to release them. Forgive and forget, just like the saying goes. One cannot forget unless he or she forgives. Forgiveness has so many health benefits physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally and spiritually. Forgiveness is like cleansing and removing the infection on the pain so that healing can begin. Most people become BITTER instead of being BETTER when we can never let go of the offense causing the pain. These bitter feelings can manifest physically. I tell people that the seed of unforgiveness can take root and can become bitterness that causes toxins. In reverse, when we forgive, we become better and healthier.

Sometimes, pain is the result of the brokenness of this fallen world. Yes, however, I heard from someone that pain can be viewed as a reminder that we are still alive. This is very true. For as long as we are living on this broken earth filled with broken people, we will experience pain. On the contrary, we can choose to be vessels for healing. We can embrace the pain and discover that is loses its power when accepted. Pain also makes us stronger people. Pain can be a blessing in disguise which can give us gain.

I have experienced many, if not all kinds of pain: poverty; heartbreaks/conflicts in relationships due to separation, betrayal and even death; job loss, failure in careers; health issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, burn-out, etc. Looking back, I thank God for all these pain I felt as it made me the person I am now. It helped me become mature. This allowed me to share to others to find ways in looking on the brighter side in spite of the many challenges I faced. The following verses greatly helped me in having a better perspective in life:

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give me a spirit, of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.

I pray that the perception of my mind may be enlightened so I may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to me who believe, according to the working of His vast strength. (Ephesians 1:17-19)

In the Name of the Father, of the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Amen. I love you readers with the love of the Lord yet God loves you the most. Smile and be a blessing. . . ##