By Dr. Michelle Bengtson
(Guest post)
We’re all familiar with physical pain, because we’ve all experienced it: a sprained ankle, broken
arm, sunburn. We generally attempt to determine the root cause of the pain, address it, and hope
it heals so we can move on. But what about when the pain lingers weeks, months, or years? How
do we cope with chronic pain?
We live in such a pain-averse society, that we long for God to heal our pain yesterday. But what
do we do when we feel like God is silent in response to our prayers? When our pain has turned
chronic with no end in sight? The enemy would love to convince us to turn our backs on God
and stop praying because he knows how powerful our prayers are.
Just like the accounts of the woman with the issue of blood (see Mark 5:24-34 and Luke 8:42-
48), Job (see Job 1-42), or Hannah (see 1 Samuel 1:1-2:10), we need to continue to go to God in
faith, waiting for Him to answer our cries. This can be a tall order when we’re enduring chronic
physical, emotional, relational, financial, or spiritual pain. And yet, Paul reminds us that as bad
as our earthly suffering feels at the time, it is light and momentary when we compare it to
eternity in heaven with Jesus: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an
eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Cor. 4:17 NIV).
What we focus on grows. So, when we focus on the pain and the frustration or discouragement it
brings, then pain will consume more of our time and attention. Yet, when we focus on God, His
unchanging character, and his promises, our pain may not lessen but it consumes less of our
energy and attention. Chronic pain can certainly lead to discouragement, which is why we have
to be vigilant in doing just as David did, and encourage ourselves in the Lord: “And David was
greatly distressed…but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:6b KJV).
In his pain, grief, and devastation, David likely had many questions, whether he voiced them or
not. If I’m a man after God’s own heart, how could God let this happen to me? If I’m an anointed
man of God, why must I hide from my attackers? Why doesn’t God protect me? David’s situation
was much like Job’s in that they both lost all they had, except God. In his pain and
discouragement, David had a choice, just as we do, to either blame God or encourage himself in
the Lord and in what he knew to be true about God and his character. David offers us an
appropriate model for our response to pain, suffering, and tragedy in our own lives. He reminded
himself of the truths offered in Scripture and applied them to his situation.
Abraham’s life also exemplified not only significant pain, but also additional coping strategies to
help us know how to walk through periods of chronic pain. “When everything was hopeless,
Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on
what God said he would do” (Rom. 4:18 MSG). Furthermore, when life seemed hopeless,
Abraham focused his attention on God rather than on his problems. Using Abraham as our
example, let’s believe God, be intentional in our thoughts and words, and focus our attention on
God rather than on our circumstances. Let’s meditate day and night on God’s promises and his
Word, particularly with respect to healing. Whether our pain is physical, emotional, spiritual,
relational, or grief, we need God to heal and bind up our wounds, the source of our pain.
Furthermore, 2 Corinthians 1:20 tells us, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they
are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” While
it is difficult to trust other people or earthly institutions, we can trust God to be faithful in
keeping his promises. But even more interestingly, we get to partner with God in seeing his
promises fulfilled. We see the guarantee of God’s fulfillment of his promises in Jesus, but we
add our “amen,” which means “yes” or “so be it” to his promises, and it brings God glory
because we are exercising our faith while we wait for his promises to be fulfilled.
When we suffer through chronic pain, the enemy of our soul would like for us to fall prey to the
belief that we are alone. It’s then that we have to remember the truth that “The Lord is close to
the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18 NIV). Know that you
aren’t alone, and that God longs to save you from your current heartache. The challenge to us is
to trust Him and surrender to His perfect ways and His perfect time.
Are you struggling with chronic pain? May I pray for you?
Father, I pray for this precious one who endures chronic pain. Whether it is physical, emotional,
relational, financial, or spiritual, I ask you now to encourage their heart, comfort their spirit,
and affirm your presence. Remind them that you never withhold any good thing from your
children, so if we are not seeing the answers to our prayers yet, it means you are still working
your perfect plan. Help them to continue to trust you and to continue reaching for the hem of
your garment as they wait on you. Lessen their pain, I ask, in Jesus’s name, amen.
If you are struggling with physical, emotional, relational, financial, or spiritual pain, grief or loss,
and don’t know what to do, let me encourage you to pick up a copy of my book The Hem of His
Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms for additional insight on how to
maintain your faith as you walk through this painful time.
Dr. Michelle Bengtson is a hope concierge! Whether as a board-certified clinical
neuropsychologist, host of the award-winning podcast Your Hope Filled Perspective, or the
author of several award-winning books including Hope Prevails and Breaking Anxiety’s Grip, her
passion is to share hope and encouragement with others. Her newest release is The Hem of His
Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms. She loves all things teal, spending time
with friends and family, taking long walks, or sitting by quiet shores, and it’s a bonus when any
of those are accompanied by sea salt caramel chocolate! You can find her and her hope-filled
resources at DrMichelleB.com
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