Pain makes me a Pain!

Our experiences over the past five years taught us how much we appreciate doctors who have a "big picture" perspective in their approach. Doctors who weigh familial, spiritual, and psychological factors into treatment decisions have been the better doctors for us and Macayla. Sometimes, the treatment approach and interventions have to be weighed against quality of life for not only the patient, but for the whole family. If the treatment tears down the family, this can adversely affect the patient. The doctor who knows this will prepare or at least inform the patient of the broader impact some treatments can have.

We often miss the bigger picture of what it means to be "well." I often whine and complain over headaches or soreness. Pain puts me in a bad mood. Pain makes me a pain to others. When I hurt, I tend to hurt those closest to me with short, impatient reactions. It is shameful. I think it stems from the false idea that being "well" means being comfortable and pain-free. I have grown up assuming pain and illness are the exceptions and not the norm. I think I have held a misguided perspective for too long. The fact is, we are all due for pain, illness, discomfort and even death on this planet. That is the norm. That is part of life. It sounds depressing, but there is no guarantee of happiness, riches, health or abundance on this planet. Certainly some of us are blessed with happiness and abundance, and that is where my problem lay. I have happiness, riches, health and abundance compared to a majority of the humans on this planet and I have taken it for granted. Many people on this planet face pain, death and disease on a daily, if not hourly, basis.

My biggest challenge after church Sunday was where to get lunch. I was going to pay someone to cook for me. I am certainly a wealthy person. I thank God for the blessings He has given us, but I am ashamed of how I take them for granted and hoard them to myself. I am ashamed that I complain and grumble because the line at the restaurant is longer than I would like. I am ashamed that I have let nagging headaches or a leg cramp turn me into a jerk. It is not physical symptoms that threaten my wellness. No, they reveal where the true sickness is: my heart and mind. Paul wrote, "Love is patient; love is kind," in 1 Corinthians 13. When I am impatient or unkind, it is due to a lack of love. It reveals the selfishness that disrupts relationships.

God has blessed me and my family so much, but I must remember those blessings are meant for His kingdom, not my own. Wellness is measured by more than blood pressure or cholesterol. It is measured by our relationship with Christ and others. If we are truly His, then we must put our physical pain in perspective, the perspective of the cross. Our worst day cannot compare with those six hours of the cross. He suffered infinitely more and that gives me strength to bare my pain and quit whining. Our best day cannot compare to the empty tomb. For no amount of fun or happiness here compares with the pure joy of being with Christ from now to eternity. It helps me not get swallowed in my pleasure. It helps me remember that my pain and pleasure are to be surrendered to His kingdom, not my own. That is wellness.