Pain is the word

This week we will be discussing the word pain. This word is one that we know well because we are either in pain or coming out of it.  Pain for some of us is something we can't tolerate. Once it appears we deal with it immediately. But for some pain becomes a friend that we know well and we refuse to let go. We seat with it and will complain about it but won't let it go because we find comfort in the pain.

 Pain, as it is defined in Merriam- Webster dictionary is "localized or generalized unpleasant bodily sensation or complex of sensations that causes mild to severe physical discomfort and emotional distress and typically results from bodily disorder (such as injury or disease)." This means that somewhere in your body, there is a dis-ease.  Dis-ease can be physical, emotional, mental or even spiritual. It may start as a little discomfort but can turn into a constant sensation that won't let you go. I love acronyms so here is mine for pain. I describe it as the following:

P-Persistent

A- Aggravating

I- Invited

N -Nature

The P stands for  Persistent.  Persistent is defined "as existing for a long or longer than usual time or continuously".  The persistent dis-ease will show up regularly to remind you to fix that issue you have not dealt with. It will continue to appear until you take care of it. A few examples would be the doctor's appointment that you need to make but haven't even though your stomach is bothering you. You know you need to get that lump that is under your armpit looked at. You have not been happy at work for a few months but you stay because it is convenient. The Lord is calling you back to him but you ignore the call by making excusing as to why you are not listening to him.  When we do not deal with the issue the issue will deal with us. 

The A stands for Aggravating.  Aggravating is defined as "arousing displeasure, impatience, or anger". Have you noticed that when our pain is persistent that you because of anger about how you are feeling? Maybe you become impatient with how long the pain is staying around. I mean some days it comes and goes and then others it lingers. You either suffer in silence or to complain to everybody that will listen. The ironic thing is that you won't deal with it and yet you mad it.

The I stands for Invited. Yes, I said invited.  The word invited means "to increase the likelihood of". The likelihood of you uninviting the pain is not. You could get rid of the pain by simply addressing the issue but you refuse. You either fear what's causing the pain( lost love, physical harm, mental anguish, or spiritual abandonment )  or you know the area of discomfort and can't bear dealing with it. You believe that this will just add to your pain. You rather keep the unwanted discomfort than gets right with yourself. 

The last letter is N for Nature.  The word nature means  "the inherent character or basic constitution of a person or thing". What is your nature? Do you have integrity or deceitful? Are you loyal or unfaithful?  Are you loving or unloving? Are you kind or mean?  Do you have self-control or you self- indulgent? Your nature is your inherent character. It is what you believe about you.  Look at your nature and you will see why your pain is lingering?

Now, I have shown you the negative side of pain but there is a positive side to pain. That right pain can have a positive side. When pain is plural it turns positive. The word pains mean trouble, care, or effort taken to accomplish something. When we take pains to resolve an issue we are working to be careful with our lives. When we pains are taking you to begin to move in the right direction to turn things and start a new. You will then go to the doctor and find out that lump is just an ingrown hair and not a tumor.  You will start looking for a new job or start that business you always wanted.  You will begin to listen to the voice of God and move closer to him knowing that he loves you always. When you take out the fear of moving to the next level in your life instead of complaining about the facts that were you are is not working anymore. When you begin to love you to so much that negative in your life no matter has placed you will see the pain will go away.

  Pain finds Comfort  

Can I leave you with this story? In the book of Luke chapter  8, a woman had an issue blood. Her issue plagued her for 12 years. She went to doctors they were no help. She spent all she had looking for help to stop the pain and to no avail. Then one day Jesus comes to town and she knows in her spirit that if she could get to him she would be healed. She had no doubt that is what she needed to do. She pressed her way through the crowd and when that didn't work, she got down on her knees and crawled just so she could touch the hem of his garment. Once she did that her Pain touched Jesus' comfort and turned her life around. Jesus said to her "Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. 
My sisters, when was the last time your faith made you whole. When you trusted in God to the point that you didn't need his whole hand, but the pinky tip would do.  Your pain or issues would go away if your faith would allow for no doubt.