I Predict PAIN

There's been plenty of times in my life where I've felt pain. In my years of playing sports I have sprained both my ankles, bruised plenty of muscles, twisted knees, jammed fingers, hurt joints, jacked up my back, and even had my mouth split open playing basketball. But, I have yet to experience the kind of pain where I would need prescription medication to make it go away. I'm not one who condemns the use of medication by any means. God gave doctors the wisdom to know and understand our bodies, and how medication can boost our immune system in order for us to get better. But, God also performs miracles, and signs and wonders on people to completely heal them. We pray that people will experience healing, and it comes. We also pray that people get healed, and sometimes they don't. It's hard to understand God's Will in certain times, but it's not hard to know that He's good, just, fair, merciful, sovereign, divine, and loving. He cares when I'm in pain.

On Friday of last week, I had a gum tissue graft to cover some gum recession that has occurred over the years due to a combination of having braces, and brushing vigorously. For the first couple of days, I was taking some Advil, and the pain was manageable, but over the past two days, the pain has been serious. Every time I laugh, or try to smile, my mouth hurts. Even talking sometimes causes me pain. The doc gave me some Percocet which is some pretty high powered pain killers, and they work. But they also have some weird side effects. I sometimes feel dizzy and even disoriented…but there's no pain, which is good.

When I think of my pain in comparison to what Christ went through on the cross, I feel like a wuss. I can't even manage to endure a little mouth pain without some Percocet while my Lord and Savior suffered beatings and floggings, being nailed to cross, having a crown of thorns shoved into his skull, and a sword piercing his side. This pain he could have gotten rid of my just saying a word, yet he endured it. For me. For you. He predicted the pain would come, and yet he went through with it. He may not have wanted it at first, but He did what God wanted. Luke 22: 41-42, "He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

For me…I'd like to be rid of this pain. That'd be nice. But, in comparison to what Jesus did for me, my pain is nothing. So, I'll endure, and think of the cross each time my mouth hurts.