I haven't blogged before about my back issues, because I hate to complain about it. But today is the year "anniversary" of my injury. One year ago I suffered an injury to my back. After many, many, many journeys through different treatment options, I still have pain on a daily basis. I have some days where I am optimistic about eventual healing and the pain is less. I also have some days where I am in such intense pain all I can do is give all that I have to make it through the day so I can go home and cry from the pain and from frustration and fear.
This post is not an attempt to get people to feel sorry for me or to get for advice on what to do. Instead, I want to offer hope to any who are suffering or may know someone close to them suffering on a daily basis from "a thorn", as Paul calls it in 2 Corinthians.
A few months ago, I read this verse in Adam Hamilton's book Why: Making Sense of God's Will.
"I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. " - 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
This verse has helped me realize how much I must rely on Christ's grace to give me strength and hope. It is through His grace that His power is perfect, especially in our weakness. Through our weakness, we have to give up relying on ourselves and look to God to fill us with his peace, power and hope. I have found that I cannot rely on my health to get me through the day, but with God's presence in my life I can peacefully say that he will sustain me. When I am weak, I am strong through Christ! I hope that this verse brings you some hope and peace whether you are dealing with physical pain, emotional turmoil or any other weakness. I do not know whether God will heal me tomorrow, next year, or not for another 10 years, but I will continue to try to rely on God's sufficient grace for me.
I will end with a word of hope from a song called The Valley Song by Jars of Clay.
"I will sing of your mercies that lead me through valleys of sorrow, to rivers of joy."
P.S. - I am also reading this book, which I highly suggest for anyone who may be dealing with chronic pain: Patient Endurance by Kari Bailey
