I was reminded recently about chronic pain and the toll it takes on lives. Not that I needed to be reminded as chronic pain has been my companion for the past seven years (a short time compared to what others have endured.)

Chronic pain significantly affects daily life. Have you ever overdone it at the gym? Or maybe went on a long mountain hike? Or did a full day of heavy yard work? You go to bed at night thinking you’ll be able to sleep because you are so tired but then find out you can’t get comfortable because of the aches and pain? After a few days, however, things improve and you are “back to normal?”

With chronic pain things don’t improve and you never “get back to normal.” Your new normal is to wake up hurting, hurt all day, and go to bed hurting. Doing everyday things that others take for granted requires physical and emotional energy that you no longer have.

When I think of facing life with chronic pain, I remember God’s response to Paul when he pleaded three different time for God to remove what he called his thorn in the flesh. “Each time [the LORD] said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me…For when I am weak, then I am strong.” [2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT]

I believe in the healing power of God, but I also know that sometimes God allows things to remain for a time. My prayer is that others will see not my pain, but the grace of God and the power of Christ working in and through me for His glory. Amen&Amen