Pain--It Hurts

I don't like pain. It hurts. Like most people, at least those who are sane, I would like to avoid pain at all cost. But more than avoiding my own pain. I wish I could prevent my children from having to experience pain. 


Our daughter has to have her four wisdom teeth removed tomorrow. There is nothing I can do to save her from this pain. I wish she didn't have to go through the experience at all. But it can't be helped. I can't go in the room with her and hold her hand or comfort her like I would have when she was a little girl. It just isn't something one does when your little girl is an 18 yr old woman. So instead I will wait in the waiting room and pray. 


This past week our son had to go through a particularly unpleasant medical procedure at a doctor's office three hours away from home. His fiance took him. He didn't need his mama to. Again I knew he would be in pain and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. I could only pray and wait for his phone call telling me it was over and he was okay. 


My husband said "I guess we're at the age when our kids don't need us for those types of things". It was true, but I still agonize knowing my babies have to face pain and I can't make it better. When does that feeling go away? My babies might be grown up but when do I stop hurting when they hurt? Does that ever go away? I don't think it does because they are a part of me. I carried them under my heart for nine months. I protected them and tried to prevent painful experiences for so many years that the feelings are still there. I don't think a mother's heart ever stops yearning for her children and wanting to protect them from anything that might hurt them. 


I have taught our children that although I may not always be able to be with them, God always is. They can rely on Him to be with them through every trial. Only He can help them endure physical and emotional pain. Only He can heal their sorrows. God, and God alone, is the only One who will be with them at all times. I love my children and I would gladly take their pain away if I could but only Jesus took away the ultimate pain of separation from God the Father by dying on the cross for our sins. 


I know that no matter how much I love my children, God loves them even more. He wants to protect them from the pain that is caused by sin. He instructs them in His Word so that if they choose to follow Him and His ways, they will avoid so much pain. Just like a mother would do anything to keep her child from harm, so does our Heavenly Father. He gives us so many opportunities to turn to Him. His grace abounds to all people. 


He loves us and wants to keep us from harm, but we have to choose to listen to Him. Just like a mother will tell her child not to touch a hot stove because it will burn them, our Father tells us the things that will harm us if we do them. If we want to be safe and protected we will listen. 


We all will face pain of one type or another in our life. But we never have to face it alone. God will be with us, bearing us up and helping us through the ordeals we face. Lean on Him. Trust Him. Pray to Him and He will hear you. God loves you. He really does.


Isaiah 53:4 "surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows..."