Tag: chronic pain

Chronic Pain…

What is Chronic pain and how do you live with it?  In my own phrase chronic discomfort is pain and distress in a constant state.  As stated by google chronic pain is, “persistent pain that lasts weeks to years.”  The reality is that whenever you are suffering in chronic pain or a disease it remains stressful.

How can somebody with chronic pain handle it?  The response is not considered to be a single-step fix.  What does work for one individual’s pain might not work for others as well.  I am under no circumstances a medical doctor therefore I do not have all the answers, and neither can I diagnosis someone, but I may share from my own personal experience with chronic pain whatever is working for me.

I make it first by faith and God’s strength.  February turned out to be a month packed with extreme pain.  My left-ankle that was replaced Aug 20th, 2019 developed tendonitis and my right- ankle the one that the bone is now deteriorated has currently become deteriorated into the soft tissue in the foot as well, therefore the cortisone injections will no longer be an alternative for pain management.  Being born with several congenital abnormalities has been a challenge along with pain throughout my life.

But I place my trust in God I know he never leaves me nor forsakes me and somehow, he has provided me with the ability to thrive mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  Trusting God gives me strength and grace to face each day knowing I’m not alone.  He also gives me wisdom to know when to rest, use ice or take medicine.  Pain can affect your thoughts, emotions and outlook on life if you let it.

I choose to look at the good things in my life even though I’m in pain.  I refuse to feel sorry for myself.  Self-pity only makes it hurt worse because you become focused on the negative and the pain increases it seems.  And sometimes tears do help to relive the stress so long as we don’t remain in it.  Chronic pain may vary in degrees of pain one-day hurts you realize that it’s there, however you shelve this ache to force through. Other days its incapacitating pain and cannot be pressed through to accomplish, so you get some rest.

Some of the different ways to deal with pain are prayer, mediation, rest, relying on the grace of God, support systems of family, friends and support groups, medication, exercise, physical therapy, massages, electrical stimulation, chiropractic care, stress management, counseling, acupuncture, surgery, dietary changes etc.  This is just a small list of ways to help deal with chronic pain they don’t elevate all the pain, but they help to cope with it. 

I prefer to look at the good things in my life even though I’m in pain, I also select the option to activate my will to focus on reaching out to others through phone calls and text and now blogging.  I’m not able to move around like I’m use to for now, but I do know God’s with me and can give me opportunities to show His love right where I’m at.  If your feeling that you no longer have a chance to do something because of your chronic pain I can assure you when you trust God, he’ll provide you with opportunities no matter where you are too.

How to respond to the weary…

First what does the word weary mean?  It means “very tired or fatigued.  Fatigued, tired, weary, jaded, exhausted washed out.”

As I was reading scripture and praying today I read in, Isaiah 50:4 “The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary,…”  Since this passage of Scripture is speaking about Jesus it is safe to say.  What would Jesus say to the weary?

Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Other versions say labored and heavy laden. Verse 29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for you souls. 30)For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  

When we think of people being weary, we realize that they are tired, exhausted or wear down perhaps even sadden.  I believe those who are weary need others to be like Jesus and carry their burdens with prayer and encouragement.  Words of compassion and rest.

God comforts the weary he possesses true compassion for people.  His words talk life into the weary person.  He does not condemn them or lecture them about what they need to do.  He comforts them first and so should we.

So, being compassionate to the weary person is to say let them talk and to express their emotions.  To be compassionate you must be able to relate to their suffering.

If I taught a class to young counselors, I would want to make them imagine people’s pain so they can relate to it.  But that relate to someone’s pain doesn’t mean you bring up your pain.  We all have gone through pain in different ways.  If you’ve never lived with chronic pain it would be difficult to understand the tension and stress it puts on your physical body plus emotional or psychological aspect of it.  These are the things to be genuinely aware of to be empathetic to someone, that way you are going to be able to relate with compassion.

Being compassionate doesn’t mean you let them know what to do or you should be doing…  It is important to build the weary person up through your prayers and pray God strengthens them.

Then once their stronger and ask for advice then give your thoughts on what works for you or what God has said etc.

I want to love as Jesus not as a pharisee.  A pharisee does not have any compassion.  They followed rules of must and laws.  Jesus came to strengthen and free the captives.  He also came to heal and restore; he loves building up the wounded not putting them out. Isaiah 42:3 “A bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench…”

Secondly ask God to make you empathetic and compassionate like Jesus.  Because it was Jesus compassion which brought healing.  The bible says He was moved with compassion and people were healed.  

Mt 14:14 “And when Jesus went out, He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them and healed their sick.”  Mt 20:34 “So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes.  And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.”

So, we can see Jesus’ first reaction is compassion and that’s what people feel when offering a listening ear, help, kind words, prayer and give loving support.

Teach or corrective instruction words just wound the weary, hurting and downtrodden.  You cannot be an effective listener or the hands of Jesus if you cannot empathize with the weary, hurting or downtrodden.

Corrected or instruct in private, love on the individual through it, don’t dump on and go.  God will go through it with us and we could go through it with our family and friends through the compassion and grace of God.

“My heart is for you says the Lord.”  That is what the weary need to hear his compassion.