Healing

Pressing Through Pain

by Terry Barlow
04/20/20
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I don't claim to have suffered much in my life,  especially in regard to physical pain.  I know others have suffered much more.  Still in a recent walk my body was hurting in a particular place and as a result I was tempted to turn back until a later time when it would not be an issue. Thankfully I pressed on a little farther and forgot about the pain altogether.  The best and most interesting  part of the walk turned out to be that latter part. 

   From this experience  I am reminded  that some of the pain we experience in life,  be it physical or emotional or otherwise,  we are meant to push through without allowing it to dictate to us and, thus,  alter our plans or shrink our horizon. Sometimes  we are inclined to use our pain as an excuse not to do what we are already predisposed  for some reason not to do,  pain or no pain.  It is also true, however,  that some pain is a signal for self-care because something is wrong and needs immediate attention. We will learn with God's help and we are already learning to discern the difference between these two kinds of pain. The first kind lessens as we persist or persevere in pressing against it.  The second kind grows worse as we persist and we know it is working against us and will do serious damage if we continue exerting ourselves in that way. 

  Sometimes we get it wrong and don't discern or distinguish the two correctly.  That is understandable and also part of the learning process. Pain is a good teacher,  after all.