The Lord is gentle and precise, but that doesn’t mean life won’t hurt. Pain is an inevitable part of living in this busted up world, but don’t waste it. Peace comes from finding purpose in pain. As your wounds heal, allow God to redeem your pain.
“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us, now he will bandage our wounds.” Hosea 6:1 (NLT)
Excision
Some things just need to be cut out and you know it’s going to hurt.
The robot stood in the corner, arms tucked, ready to puncture my chest. Within seconds, white liquid delivered unconsciousness through my veins so I wouldn’t feel my left lung collapse. The injury was intentional. The surgeon needed my lung out of the way in order to get near my heart and remove my thymus gland.
Strange how something we are born with serves a purpose at one point in our lives, then attacks and tries to destroy us later. The only effective treatment is excision – cut it out. God’s been dissecting things away from my heart too, but He’s not using much anesthesia.
“Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes.” John 15:2a (HCSB)
Scars to prove it
Four small scars between my ribs are barely visible now, but the improvement in my disease is evident. The last four years have been excruciating, but now that my hurts are healing, I see the results: more faith, more trust, more of Christ and less of me. At least a little less.
I woke up in ICU with a stiff tube protruding from my chest, splattering blood into the glass bottle nearby. Suction obliterated the empty space in my chest so my lung could re-inflate and stay that way. The slightest movement was miserable and even breathing was a challenge. That pretty much describes how I felt after half my body was cut off too, but God didn’t leave me that way. He used my emptiness to fill me with Himself to bring health to my soul.
“Jesus said to her, ‘Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you’re healed and whole. Live well, live blessed!’” Mark 5:34 (MSG)
Healed and whole
can’t really explain what’s going on in my heart now, but I know I’m whole. I think God just wanted me to lay still long enough for Him to get rid of some things that were about to destroy me. Not people, but things like pride, idolatry and self-reliance had to be cut away. My rehabilitation produced results – peace, joy, faith, trust and love for my Father.
“…circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit…” Romans 2:29 (NIV)
Finding purpose in pain
Are you letting God work on your heart? Find purpose in your pain, redeem the hurt and don’t waste your scars. Submit to the heavenly surgeon and trust Him to remove the things that destroy your walk with him. Some you’ll look back and see the results are worth it, but if you get a chance, ask for the white liquid.
Find purpose in your pain Click To Tweet“It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn from your decrees.” Psalm 119:71 (NIV)
Best one yet! So, so very good!
This is so very good and applicable.
Thanks for sharing your heart with us.
I read this as I lie in bed nervously awaiting a doctor’s visit in a few hours. I am amazed ‘how your words are always so timely…….God works in mysterious ways, doesn’t He? Thank you for you Godly words of encouragement! God does use our pain for many reasons. Sometime it is the simplest of reasons…slow down, be still and hear God’s whispers.