No Pain No Gain

No Pain, No Gain

By Vickie G. Paver

From time to time, I experience long-lasting, intense physical pain in my legs and back. It is something that recently consumed my every hour, once again. At times, I have whined, moaned and groaned to my friends and family. My reaction has not changed anything. I continue to experience the pain. I have cried out to God to take it away, to help the doctors find out what is causing it. Actually, even though I cried out, I knew the answer would be the same as always, osteoarthritis, severely compressed discs, and Sjogrens. However, I "felt" I needed an answer to take away ALL the pain, not to just have it dulled with painkillers. Really, I did not like the answers I got. I wanted permanent removal of my pain. I would say to myself or my husband, "I cannot do this; I'm never going to make it!" In my mind, I continually fed on the negative concerning the pain. Once again, I was giving into it instead of rising above it.

I just wanted a way out of this trial. Isn't that a typical human reaction? We want a way out of our troubles and trials. We do not want to suffer anything for any reason, even if it were to be for our own benefit. The flesh loves only comfort and ease.

During this most recent stretch of pain, that began a few months ago, I heard several sermons on "joy in the midst of trials." Soon, I started earnestly asking God to help me not be a whiner or ungrateful, and not to continue to reason that I am somehow so privileged that God "should" take away this trial. I started asking Him to help me be full of joy and peace, be grateful, and get my mind off of "ME." I asked Him to change me, to instill in me "fully rooted, with deep roots" a desire to please Him fully.

God truly answered my prayers. He is changing me and rooting deep roots of joy and peace, gratefulness and "true love for others." It is not "the big I" who is doing the changing. It is Christ Jesus in me through the work of the Holy Spirit. It has taken me long enough to learn this lesson. I always thought that I had to be the one to do the changing. Guess what? We do not have to do the changing. He does it for us. If we could only get a grasp on this concept… Christ changes lives; people do not change their own lives and even Christians do not change their own lives. We are utterly helpless to change ourselves. He HELPS us by the trials and troubles we go through. When we are weak, He is better able to do something for us, deep within the heart. 2 Corinthians 12:9 "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

I thought I had a grasp on it when I asked Jesus to come into my heart years ago, but I did not. I knew Jesus could save me, but I thought I had to change my own behavior and attitudes as I lived out my Christian life. Major, obvious things, did change right away. Still, the deep things of the heart did not. I would fail so many times when it came to my attitude and actions. So many Christians have the same mentality that they some how have to change those appalling behaviors and attitudes. I call them appalling because at one time, I used to think they were little things, no big deal, UNTIL God dealt with me CLEARLY. I some how had the idea I could forgive, but I would not "forget." This is a wrong notion! If we truly forgive, we will leave it alone and not rehash it all the time. Unforgiveness is only one example… there were many more things, such as, loving as Christ loves, gentleness instead of harshness, a soft answer instead of snapping, and many more things. Above all, the thing I wanted and want the most is to be a gentle person and full of the love of Christ. I learned one thing this week gentleness cannot come before meekness. Moreover, meekness is a completely different ball game. So what did I really want? Did I want to go down that road? Well, certainly, my flesh does not want to go down that road, but my spirit does. Nevertheless, it is true; you cannot have gentleness without meekness.

The word meek, according to the Random House Webster's College Dictionary, means this: Meek; humble and patient or docile under the provocation of others." You see provocation is the real test of being meek and gentle. Do not confuse this with being weak. It is not the same. Being weak is not being able to stand up for what is right and good and righteous. Being meek is being patient, long suffering and gently reacting in the face of personal wrongs or provocation.

I knew I had to change, but had no idea how to implement the changes so that they were lasting, not that I expected to be perfect. I did want to change though so that the changes were lasting. I thought "I" had to change them. I knew that did not work because of my previous experiences in trying to change. I was always doing it in my own strength or by sheer will power. God finally got through to me that I cannot change, but that He alone does the changing. I quit asking, "Help me change, God." I started asking, "Change me God." Now, whenever He points at something that needs changing, I know that the first thing is to submit and ask Him to change the thing He spoke to me about. I can only do this by immersing myself in the Word and through being sensitive to the Holy Spirit. In the midst of temptation, if I am sensitive to the Holy Spirit, He can enable me to do the right thing. God expects us to do the right thing and He expects us to treat people right.

Dear friend, do you know how it really is? It is all about Jesus, not us. Oh! What a wonderful and satisfying thing to know that Jesus can do it all, He can and will change those wrong attitudes and actions. I feel inadequate to explain what Jesus did for me and is doing for me. It does NOT mean that I am perfect but it does mean I am on the right road and Jesus Christ will do for me what I cannot do for myself. Nothing in this life matters but Jesus Christ. He is the beginning and ending of all things. Praise His Holy Name. May you and I always give Him the glory and honor He deserves.

--- All scripture taken from the NIV