Blessings from the Pain

Those who have known deep depths of pain have also learned there is a deeper depth that one can offer and receive love, connection, support, intimacy.

1 John 4:18 KJV says “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth off fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

Loving is risky because as imperfect humans, each of us will have moments where we disappoint, make stupid choices, act selfish, and so on, and not necessarily on purpose. This is what I refer to as the 'universal human condition', no one is exempt.

A newborn does not come out walking. A three-year-old is not going to drive the car. It is a learning/growing process we are all on, a journey that is meant to mature, cause greater understanding, increase our capacities to engage, learn, and teach us how to handle life as we experience and keep moving forward. As we live we may have to do some adjusting to some things like tragedy, which can create a shifting at a core level, immediately altering one's perspective.

Pain is one way we learn how to relate, connect, and more fully understand the gift that is life. At times we are overwhelmed with our desire to avoid anything deep, to protect ourself by pushing others away. The truth is not always so popular. It is something that must shift our perspective or we will miss the blessing that comes from experiencing the depths of pain from varoius life circumstances.

The reality is we all face pain and tragedy as we live this human life.

Not all people are trusted with great depths of pain.

Trusted with what, the PAIN??!!

Yes. There is a great capacity for wisdom, growth, impact, connection, unity, fellowship, LOVE and LIFE. A person can choose to respond to what they face by shutting off everything, not allowing reality to open you to the other side because it hurts, it is intimidating, crushing where you are. This place you have hidden yourself causes isolation, loneliness, depression. You are so thirsty, dehydrated really but refuse to come out to drink.

The alternative is to begin to allow yourself to see past the pain and void. See and experience the sunrise in the quiet of the morning, just standing in AWE and stillness of the Works of Abba’s Hands. See the colors of the flowers, the sound of a baby's laughter, the smell of fresh cut grass, the feel of the sun on your face.

Every chance I get, I grab a cup of coffee, quiet my mind and just bask in the beauty of the Light. I let all those things that lay heavy on my mind and heart slip away. Sometimes it takes focused concentration in certain seasons of my life but it is worth the effort.

Allow His Peace to soothe the pain. Just breathe. Begin to heal.

Remember that it is the smallest things, the simplest of moments that will help you have the capacity to understand. These moments are the REAL blessings of life.

Appreciate what is left, recognize those people that He has shown you are the right ones to invest that depth of yourself into. You have learned, it's painfully clear, what to be careful of when choosing your activities, company, influences because you are aware that life is too short; over in the blink of an eye.

Be still and allow His Peace to take over, to soothe those places. Wholeness is coming! Be refreshed in the endless well of Who He Is.