I still believe for healing ~ whether while here or in heaven
Why can’t the enemy of our souls figure out that his hateful attacks against Christians do not succeed? Ultimately, God turns it all around for good.
That is just what God did for me. Despite the suffering, my walk with the Lord only strengthened. He taught me much, changed me in ways needed and gave me some incredible blessings along the way.
Here are some of the lessons and blessings that resulted from the pain:
Necessary Changes
*Self-reliance ~ God knows how to get our attention. He knew that to weed out a stubborn reliance on my strength, I needed a loving dose of total dependence on Him. This one still tries to pop back up. Yet, apart From Him, I can do nothing.
*Priorities ~ Stripped of everything that I thought was important, I discovered that God is all I need. His grace is sufficient.
*Self-pity ~ It was easy to dwell on my pain, but I didn’t have to look very far to find someone with bigger problems. Everyone has tasted some form of suffering. Walk a mile in another person’s shoes.
Important Lessons
*Prayerful Enduring ~ As an alternative to tossing and turning all night in pain, God taught me to endure by spending the time in prayer. The pain level did not always change, but in the process, God changed me. It is good for me to draw near to God.
*Compassion ~ Had I never plunged into the depths of pain, I might never have learned compassion for those hurting or understood how some succumb to addiction. At a critical juncture in my journey, God strengthened me to avoid pain medication dependency. But for the grace of God, there go I.
*Letting Go ~ Life as I once knew it is not the same. My lower back is better, but I now have serious struggles with my neck. While tempting to regret the things I can no longer do, with God’s help I let go of the past and remember all that I can do. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Wonderful Blessings
*Loving Support ~ God blessed me with the most wonderful husband. I already knew that before I began my pain journey; however, he has proven his vow of in sickness and in health over and over and over… Without ever once complaining, or minding having to do housework, he has been a continual source of comfort and support. You are the wind beneath my wings.
*Comforting Goodness ~ Good in the midst of pain seems a contradiction. Those of us who know Him, though, attest that God’s goodness is all the sweeter in the midst of suffering. God is very good, all the time.
*Sharing Suffering ~ Although Scripture teaches that partaking in Christ’s suffering should bring rejoicing, I had never completely understood why until I reached my lowest. Even at its darkest, my pain was but a drop compared to what He endured on the cross. If by trusting Him in the midst of my pain I somehow shared in His agony, then it makes what I went through a blessed privilege, indeed.
But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:13 ESV
I would like to thank my readers for your kind and encouraging words during this series. At a later date, I will post about another hurtful season in my life, but for now need a break from discussing pain.
Blessings,
Sue Nash/2013
Heavenly Raindrops 
Good morning, sis.
What a great lesson that I got this morning. Thank you sis. By the way, allow me to print these series out? I think this a great lesson for me about life, especially when we got sick and pan. May I sis? Thank you for sharing this. Many blessings to you.
Of course, Karina. You can print or share any of my writings. You are so sweet. Very glad it was a blessing. And good morning to you.
Sue, thank you for your honesty in sharing your painful journeys. Like you, I’ve discovered not being fully healed of my pain (for me fibromyalgia) is a daily reminder that I must rely completely on God for the strength and stamina I need to get through the day. I’m thankful that since I started taking Lyrica my pain is less and my energy level better, but even so – I begin each day (before I even get out of bed) saying, “This is the day You have made, Oh Lord, I will rejoice and be glad in it.” That is my reminder that whether my pain is heavy or light, whether my energy level is good or low, the day belongs to God and He will see me through it. I’ve often wondered if God knows that if I were able to bounce out of bed each morning pain-free and full of strength and abundant energy that I’d forget how much I need Him. Perhaps???
So much truth in that, Teri. How perhaps God knows that if we had boundless energy, we might forget how much we need Him. One of my problems now is that on the inside, I still have boundless ‘want to’ but no longer have the ‘umph to’. I’m sure you can relate, in lieu of your fibro. Will pray for you and several other of my friends with fibromyalgia. A cruel, mysterious illness.
BTW. You always tell me that you are not a poet, but I’ll quote you above and prove that you are and just don’t know it-
‘That is my reminder that whether my pain is heavy or light, whether my energy level is good or low, the day belongs to God and He will see me through’ Doesn’t have to rhyme exactly. Sometimes just needs a catchy cadence! 🙂
Oh how I LOVE your post! Thank you for sharing such wonderful truth. I also suffer from chronic neck pain, and more. I agree wholeheartedly with all you say. Tough road it is, but so worth it with God. You hit the nail on the head! You have helped and blessed me with this crucial reminder. Hugs and Blessings!
Tristine, I am sorry to hear of your neck pain, too. What I have discovered is that those of us with spine issues can differ greatly with our symptoms, and with what helps to relieve them. Will be in prayer for your healing. Thanks for your feedback and for sharing. God is good!
Amen to that and I agree! So many different ways the pain can manifest. I am thankful that God can use this to help others, like we are! Yes, continuing to pray…
Dear Sue,
Thank you for sharing this thoughtful and encouraging post. You are right: good things do sometimes come out of pain. This post is one of them.
On a practical level, I wonder if you might consider boiling down the next and back bones of the next chicken or turkey that you cook? (Why chicken or turkey? Because they are small, therefore manageable.) I cannot help wondering if bone broth from these particular bones might not rebuild you where you are currently weak, since pain, after all, is a signal that something is broken or breaking down in the body.
I had heard years ago that whatever part of the animal you eat gravitates toward that part of your body, and I have used this principal in my kitchen to take care of a couple of health issues, including two possible cases (my oldest daughter and me) of keratoconus, a disease that threatened our eyesight. We did that by eating fish eyes (just as I was asking God where we would find animal eyeballs to eat, the doorbell rang, and there was my kindly neighbor, “Shania”, with a fresh catch of fish! Talk about God’s timing!) At our next eye doctor appointment, there was no trace of the scary keratoconus. Coincidence?
Something a bit less extreme that you may want to try is alfalfa. This comes in several forms, including easy-to-swallow capsules from the health store.
I am so sorry you are having to go through these trials. You sound like only gold is coming forth from the Refiner’s Fire, though.
Praying for God to bless you on every level,
Gwennon
Thanks for the suggestions, Gwennon. I appreciate your thoughtfulness. So glad that God is using my painful experience to bless others struggling, too. Blessings, always.
What a beautiful post and testimony of how God uses our pain for good! I learned those things, too, when I suffered for almost a year with pneumonia and a lung issue that was never diagnosed. Always my left lung. Isn’t it strange how it’s usually on the left side? [chuckle] Anyway, thank you for sharing! What a blessing! \(^_^)/
Ha. My pain has always been my left, too. I did not know that you had gone through this, Rene. I pray that it NEVER comes back. Blessings along the way. 🙂
Awesome post Sue! You are in our prayers {{hugs}} God bless you Sue 🙂 Always a friend, Ann
🙂
Sue, I am so sorry you have had to endure the pain associate with back issues. May the LORD place His healing hand upon you. Thank you so much for sharing your pain and blessings with us. 🙂
Toni, so glad that my sharing was in some way a blessing to others. Continue to pray for you and your husband. You are such a sweet blogger; I know you must be a wonderful care-giver.
Thank you, I do the best I can, allowing Jesus to work through me. Some days I do better than others! 🙂
🙂
Thanks, Sue … your posts are a blessing!
🙂
Thanks for being brave enough to share such personal stories and insight. May God continue to use you to encourage others!
So glad it brought encouragement. May God continue to use you, also!
Pingback: Wait, Don’t Walk Away! | LOVE UNCONDITIONAL
I remember waking up from my back surgery – no pain!. It was wonderful. Not at all trying to “rub it in” for those like you still suffering – just thinking. Won’t it be wonderful to wake up in heaven – no pain. And no failure, no faltering,, no sin, no disease, no trials, no troubles, just perfection, and the presence of our blessed Lord, Whom we will finally be able to worship and serve as He deserves.
God’s best to you, dear sister.
How awesome that your pain ended instantly after the surgery. It does for some. I think the reason mine did not is because for so many years nobody knew what was wrong and the nerve got so damaged. I agree about the heaven comment: I long for heaven. Cannot wait to wake up there! blessings and thanks for sharing!
Sue,
May the Lord bring you peace and comfort.
Thank you for sharing this difficult story.
Blessings to you.
Thanks very much, Julie.
Thanks for sharing your story, Sue. I had no idea. God is good, though, and His ability to bring good out of something as horrid as pain amazes me. I’ve seen Him do so in my life countless times through kidney and gall stones, a back injury when I was a teen, and a host of other things. I wish I could carry this burden for you a while. I certainly would.
\o/
Thanks ei much for your kindness, Tami. God is always there to carry us through! Blessings