Have you seen the pictures of starving children in Somalia (the latest victims of famine), the kind of images that make you want to turn away and think about something else? Of course there are legitimate reasons for our reaction: it hurts to see such pain and feel so helpless to do anything about it.
Unfortunately, it’s become all too easy for Americans to avoid the suffering beyond our borders. The so-called “creature comforts” we enjoy occupy our thoughts and redirect our emotions to more pleasant things. We have mastered the art of distraction—we call them pastimes. Some of our pastimes are national, like baseball, basket ball, and football. We devote days of distracted celebration to them (World Series, March Madness, Super Bowl). But each of us has our own favorite distractions that serve to anaesthetize us to the suffering of those across the sea, across town, or even across the street.
During His time on this earth, Jesus was never deterred from His mission by vain distractions. Can you imagine Him sitting in a movie theater to escape the intensity of the world’s suffering? Yikes! Now that’s getting a little too close to home! But I am not saying it is wrong to enjoy a dinner out, a movie and popcorn, or a day at Candlestick. But given the myriad of distractions available to us in this wealthiest of countries on the earth, we must be extremely careful not to get caught up in all the distractions. Since Jesus was the epitome of single-mindedness to the Father’s will should we not also be single-minded in our devotion to God? Only those who unwilling to be distracted by pleasures on earth will hear what the Lord calls them to do, whole-heartedly and without distraction.
Showing posts with label pain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pain. Show all posts
Friday, July 22, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
The Answer is Not Blowing in the Wind
From the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic, people are on tornado watch today. By all accounts, this is the worst tornado season in recorded history. And the worst of it all may be yet to come since tornado season doesn’t reach its peak until May.
Severe storms find their parallel in human trial and tribulation that blow through our lives, often leaving us feeling destroyed. Our faith seems tested beyond what we can endure. It is at these times, we must stand firm in our faith (1 Cor. 16:13; 1 Thess. 3:8). But unless we are grounded in the Word, really believing what God says, we will “be tossed and blown about” (Eph. 4:14) when the trials come.
We must have a telescopic vision, magnifying Jesus who can make everything ‘good’ (Ro. 8:28). We must keep looking to our future hope when Jesus “will wipe every tear from [our] eyes,” when there will be “no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.. [when] all these things are gone forever" (Rev. 21:4). People of faith will not be blown off track when things don’t make sense. Listen to what David Wilkerson says today:
To those going through the valley and shadow of death, hear this word: Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights—and in that darkness you will soon hear the Father whisper, “I am with you. I cannot tell you why right now, but one day it will all make sense. You will see it was all part of my plan. It was no accident. It was no failure on your part. Hold fast. Let me embrace you in your hour of pain.” Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in his Word. There is no other hope in this world.
Severe storms find their parallel in human trial and tribulation that blow through our lives, often leaving us feeling destroyed. Our faith seems tested beyond what we can endure. It is at these times, we must stand firm in our faith (1 Cor. 16:13; 1 Thess. 3:8). But unless we are grounded in the Word, really believing what God says, we will “be tossed and blown about” (Eph. 4:14) when the trials come.
We must have a telescopic vision, magnifying Jesus who can make everything ‘good’ (Ro. 8:28). We must keep looking to our future hope when Jesus “will wipe every tear from [our] eyes,” when there will be “no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.. [when] all these things are gone forever" (Rev. 21:4). People of faith will not be blown off track when things don’t make sense. Listen to what David Wilkerson says today:
To those going through the valley and shadow of death, hear this word: Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights—and in that darkness you will soon hear the Father whisper, “I am with you. I cannot tell you why right now, but one day it will all make sense. You will see it was all part of my plan. It was no accident. It was no failure on your part. Hold fast. Let me embrace you in your hour of pain.” Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in his Word. There is no other hope in this world.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Take Two Vicodin and Call Me in the Morning
I had surgery last Thursday for hernia repair. No one told me it was going to hurt this much! So for the last 4 days I’ve been finding some relief in vicodin. Every day I call the post-op surgery nurses to ask the simple question: is this [my pain] ‘normal’? Each day they assured me it is, with a polite: “you’ll feel better tomorrow”—the old “take two aspirin and call me in the morning.”
Throughout this ordeal, I’ve been looking for the inevitable spiritual analogy (you know me). As a counselor, I am used to having people tell me they are in pain. I realize I tell them the same thing the nurses have been telling me: your pain is normal. I do not, however, tell them to take two aspirin (or vicodin), nor do I promise they'll feel better tomorrow! I tell them to take in a heavy dose of Jesus.
You see, the problem is not the pain—that is normal. The problem is that in our “pain-aversive” culture, we self-medicate, and ignore the cause. Even as the pharmaceutical industry is flourishing with it promises of relief, we too, metaphorically speaking, have turned to our “drug” of choice.
In writing of the normalcy of pain, the writer of Hebrews shows us a loving Father who is training us to depend on Him alone. “No discipline [literally, child training] is enjoyable while it is happening—it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way” (12:11 NLT). Likewise, James says “whenever trouble [pain] comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow… and when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything” (James 1:2-4 NLT).
Throughout this ordeal, I’ve been looking for the inevitable spiritual analogy (you know me). As a counselor, I am used to having people tell me they are in pain. I realize I tell them the same thing the nurses have been telling me: your pain is normal. I do not, however, tell them to take two aspirin (or vicodin), nor do I promise they'll feel better tomorrow! I tell them to take in a heavy dose of Jesus.
You see, the problem is not the pain—that is normal. The problem is that in our “pain-aversive” culture, we self-medicate, and ignore the cause. Even as the pharmaceutical industry is flourishing with it promises of relief, we too, metaphorically speaking, have turned to our “drug” of choice.
In writing of the normalcy of pain, the writer of Hebrews shows us a loving Father who is training us to depend on Him alone. “No discipline [literally, child training] is enjoyable while it is happening—it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way” (12:11 NLT). Likewise, James says “whenever trouble [pain] comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow… and when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything” (James 1:2-4 NLT).
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