Tuesday, August 11, 2015

PAIN IS TEMPORARY


Last month, I started working out again!  I find it so much harder to get back into it, once I’ve stopped for so long.   I’m not one who can just go to the gym and work through the machines.  I prefer to take spin classes or Pilates, yoga, dance classes or outdoor bootcamps.  So recently, I started going on hikes in Baldwin Hills.  The face of the hill, or what I call a mini-mountain, has cement stairs that ascend straight to the top and dirt trails that zigzag across the face and around the hill.   The early evening hours seem to be the peak time for hikers.  When standing at the bottom of the hill, it literally looks like a human ant hill.   That’s how busy it gets!  So, I’ve been going during the late morning hours to avoid the crowds.  Notice, I didn’t say early morning hours!  I truly, admire these folks who can get up before dawn to get their work-out in.  I’ve tried, but it’s just not part of my make up!   :-) 

I’ve been taking advantage of my hikes and using the time to pray, worship and commune with God.  I put my earphones in, plug them into my iPhone and listen to my playlist of worship music.  It’s funny, in all my years of working out, I have never actually listened to my own music!   (I know, it sounds crazy, especially in our age of technology.)  What a difference it makes!  You can tune out all the other noise and get lost in your own audio world.  I love it!    

The other day, I was trudging up those uneven, rugged stairs.  I say ‘trudge”  because I am really out of shape!  So, after a few steps, I had to pause to catch my breath.  Although, I have to say, each day I am improving.  Less, frequent pauses!  -  As I stopped, a man rushed past me and yelled out to his friend ahead of him, who seemed to be struggling like me.  He shouted out with encouragement, “hang in there bro, the pain is just temporary!”  -   I thought to myself, “Wow, so profound and so true!”   His words truly resonated with me.  It’s true, our pain is temporary.  Overjoyed, I said to myself, “I’m going to use that as the title of my next blog!”  -  I was so excited to get home and start writing this blog, but first I had to finish my hike!  -  As I stood there, out of breath, looking up at all the steps still to go, my inner voice said, “okay Rhoshan, this pain is temporary!  You can make it to the top.  Just one step at a time!”   So, I kicked it into second gear, eyes looking down at my feet, focused on my music, and made it to the top with an extra beat to my feet!   When I reached the top, my arms instinctively flew up in the air.  I felt like Rocky Balboa!  I can hear the theme song in my head! 

Life is like those steep, uneven, rugged stairs.  When we’re at the bottom looking up at what’s ahead, it can be very intimidating, even scary at times.  But, when we actually start walking forward, our focus is downward looking at one step at a time.  We can make plans for the future, but we still, will never know what lies ahead of us.  I often think, it’s a good thing we don’t know what’s ahead!   I truly believe, that is God’s saving grace for us all.  Could you imagine if you knew beforehand the trials, the struggles and the pain that you will have to face?   I don’t think we could handle having the full knowledge of our future.   When I think about the past couple of years of my life, if I had known ahead of time that my father would be diagnosed with a terminal disease, and if I had known the struggle he had to face, and the pain and heartache of taking care of him and watching him deteriorate, I would, absolutely, be in disbelief and fearful of what was to come!  

There is no such thing as a crystal ball for this life.  We are meant to experience life one day at a time and take on each challenge as it comes, instead of stressing about tomorrow or things that haven't happened yet.   Really, the only future we can be certain of is eternal life with our Heavenly Father.   That assurance comes only through belief in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.    
 John 14:6  Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  

God’s Word says in Matthew 6:34 Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.   We can choose to face our troubles alone or with the help of God.  I choose taking the hand of God and leaning on His strength. I could not have gotten through the past two years without the Lord by my side and the strength that came from all the prayers from family and friends.  I memorized the scripture Isaiah 41:10, which says,  Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I and your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  -  When I felt weary and about to give up, I reminded myself of God's words.  It’s amazing what our body and soul can endure when we allow the Spirit of God to carry us through it!  

Just like those coarse steps….. when we face the pains of life, whether it be the loss of a loved one, a physical pain or illness, financial struggles, loneliness, depression, addiction, disappointments of life, whatever the pain stems from, take comfort in knowing that it is temporary!  This too shall pass. 

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!   So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

The scripture above makes me think of Jesus, who willingly, suffered the greatest pain ever when he went to the cross for the redemption of our sins.   The way that he was able to endure the pain, was not looking at the cross, but Jesus looked beyond it.  He saw the joy set before him.  The joy of being reunited with God and the joy of us, one day joining him in eternity.  -  Jesus knew that the pain was temporary!


Hebrews 12:1-3   And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.