Too Close To Pain

Over a month ago I was recklessly riding my mountain bike on expert trails when I went over the bars in a wipe out. In the dust up I had cuts, scratches, immediate bruising and a thumb in bad shape. The pain was evident and constant. Not at all different from our life injuries that we crash into from time to time.

The injuries under the skin, of course, were not the only unseen hurts I experienced. My ego took a beating along with my conscience. My mentality was a little damaged but I wasn’t as aware of that injury as much. It makes me wonder of the injuries we are not even aware of after our life’s bruising and breaking. What we see on the outside is often screaming louder than the pain on the inside… or at least at first.

Are you possibly experiencing a pain that you are not aware of? You don’t see the outward evidence any longer but know you are still healing. Our thoughts, emotions and reactions can often signal to us an inward pain. Even at times causing us to avoid things or make decisions contrary to who we are.

This week a YouTube video suggestion came up of “Bike Fails” by a channel I subscribe to. In the first weeks after my accident I could not stomach the idea of people suffering falls like mine. However, I definitely clicked PLAY this time to laugh and flinch at similar experiences. I finally got far enough from the pain of my own experience to be there for others mistakes.

Are you in pain?
Are you just out of pain? 
Are you helping others in pain?

Pain is all too often an inevitable result of life, but what we do with that pain could possibly be more important. 

'He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. ' - 2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT

Healing Together,
Pastor Lane Landers