Physical pain, Spiritual gain

[shazeep]

9So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. Whenever someone was bitten, and he looked at the bronze snake, he recovered.

[shazeep]

Originally Posted by YounginHope

Should've probably worded that different. But I mean to say that I wouldn't personally care to read the books about praying for healing. I was meaning to agree.

And I know God has the power to make me whole, yet I still ache. Leaving me with the conclusion that it is His will, for now, for me.

ah, makes sense now, ok.

[KeptByTheWord]

Originally Posted by shazeep

9So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. Whenever someone was bitten, and he looked at the bronze snake, he recovered.

Yes. As does the gospel save us from our sins.

[votivesoul]

I found out a few years ago that I had what is called a "SLAP" tear in my right shoulder and that the only way my right arm was going to work properly again was to have surgery.

I summoned the elders who anointed me in the name of the Lord. I lifted my hands in prayer. The Holy Spirit descended like a dove, and the voice of the Most High, as it were, came to me ever so sweetly and as it were, said "I'm going to heal your attitude..."

And in God's own gracious way, He let me know He wasn't going to touch my shoulder; rather He was going to touch my soul, and cause me to be able to maintain a righteous attitude about suffering physically through the trial.

And it was quite the trial. My wife and I had a two year old, and she was expecting. The birth of our son occurred merely days after I was finally allowed to take my sling off permanently. I still, however had lifting restrictions, and couldn't do much of anything to help my wife after she had given birth. I could only, if sitting, hold our son in my left hand and arm. Otherwise, I couldn't do chores, change diapers, or anything until several months had passed.

And that was merely the start of a whole new adventure in injury and pain and diagnoses, and etc. too long to detail in this post.

Pray for me. I'm going back to the Orthopedic Surgeon. My GP believes the labrum in my right shoulder is again damaged.

PS. A SLAP tear is a Superior Labrum Anterior Posterior tear in the cartilage where the 1.) greater humerus bone meets the ball and socket joint of the shoulder, and 2.) The long-head tendon from the bicep attaches to the shoulder joint at the top (i.e. superior) part of the labrum, and is torn front to back (i.e. anterior to posterior).

For more info: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00627

[YounginHope]

I'll be praying for Gods will in this situation Votive. Glad you shared. Sounds horrific.

I'm a big strong man and my wife is a petite little lady so it looked bad when we went anywhere and she was toting my daughter or son. No one knew I could barely get around myself.

I was in a bad way with my back a couple years ago to the point of almost immobile. I have always refused treatment. I don't take medicines of any kind. No conviction there, just dont like the way it makes me feel. But this was it. Something had to be done. I was on my knees crying out to God and felt an overwhelming comfort rush through my body. For a couple months I felt like I had a new back. I guess it was just a loaner, lol. As I said before, I am thankful now for all that I've been through as this was what it took to reveal those things in me that hinder my walk with God.
2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

[allstate1]

Originally Posted by YounginHope

So often (if not always) a problem or enduring pain in this physical life is an indication somethings changing or needing to be changed in your Spiritual walk. It happens to everyone and often. Sometimes it's not hardly noticeable and other times it shakes you to your core. But every time it opens a pathway to growth. I'm in awe when God gives me the opportunity to see it playing out in my life before my eyes. I think it's part of praying and God granting understanding about these things. If your dealing with something in your life in the physical realm whether it be at work, your spouse, or some kind of pain you better believe that it's also playing out in your spirit as well. And the good news is that both are used to further you on the path to a closer walk with God. We just usually think we had a bad day (or good one) when really we are having growing pains. And sometimes it's the only way we will change. And change is exactly what we need or trust me our kind, gentil, loving, and always merciful God would prevent us from ever seeing troubling times. Too often we fail to see what we are missing or we take our eye that is supposed to be single off of Him and place it on something else. Often we are not even aware we are doing this until it's already done. We feel as if we are doing what we can to have a walk with God. We did the same thing today as yesterday. Isn't that good enough? No. We are to be ever changing. We are the clay, not a finished vessel. And Jesus is the potter. And we never want him to take His hands off of us. But if we were finished, He would have no reason to continue molding and shaping us into what He desires us to be. See, that is where we are missing it when we start thinking we know what God has in store for us. Or that we know what we need and that our desires are Gods desires. And mercy is handed out here, too, when after we do all we can to see our desires play out instead of His we see that His desire for our life is much sweeter than what we wanted anyway. How patient is our God! He treats us like we are an only child that He's waited a lifetime to have and looks at us as if we never made a mistake, every time. Could you be mean or harm your own tiny little beautiful baby that you waited for ever for? God sees you as that baby once you become His. He loves you like that but even more. Let the desires of God play out in your life. Let Him make your path straight. It's what Paul did and was talking about 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
So Paul would rather have problems knowing God would see him through than to be free from trouble with the possibility of forgetting God. That's a big thing. Know what your asking when you desire to be close to God. You may think your ready but change is the only way. We think we see clearly that this path we walk is leading us to God and sometimes we are wondering around blindly. God will straighten your path if you don't resist and can see what's going on. We often began to fight against it at first not knowing change is needed. Gods not working against you, He's working on you, for you. Pray for understanding. Pray for knowledge.

I don't expect everyone here will agree with most of this. It is my experience and story dealing with severe lower back pain for a few years and realizing even this pain has a purpose?

I disagree with the physical pain part. We are humans we will die. On the path from birth to death we will have pain. Can we have spiritual gain because we have physical pain? Hmmmmm only because the pain brings our focus more on the prayer of faith. I don't believe I fell and broke my arm because something was out of line spiritually. Now with the physical pain and the missed work and paychecks ofcourse I prayed more for my situation than normal. I have stopped praying for myself when I have a cold or stump my toe or when my son cut himself really bad. Its not because I don't have faith in healing its because I have realized as humans these things are going to happen. Now on the flip side I do pray for safety over my family. I think sometime we think we are not supposed to endure anything physical.

[YounginHope]

Not whining about a liitle pain. Rather rejoicing at what it's done for me.

2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

I'm weak.

[allstate1]

Originally Posted by YounginHope

Not whining about a liitle pain. Rather rejoicing at what it's done for me.

2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

I'm weak.

I must be slow. I am not following your thought pattern. I totally disagree with the first sentence in your original post. I don't believe physical pain has anything to do with spirituality. We have physical pain simply because we are human. Can we and should we gain spiritually from physical pain? prolly so. But to imply that most all physical pain is because of spiritual shortcoming is a stretch.

[YounginHope]

It's likely not you, lol. I have a hard time conveying my thoughts.

I read that Paul had pain (thorn in the flesh) and petitioned God about it and received this message.
2Co 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

It took me a long time to realize there was good that could come from my pain. But it could be that in my weakness His strength is made perfect. And I guess you can look at it like everyone has pains. But I know from experience that years of back pain are different than a few weeks with a broken arm. Either way, I'm done focusing on the pain and that is the point of the thread. Victory for me didn't have to come with physical healing.

[allstate1]

Originally Posted by YounginHope

It's likely not you, lol. I have a hard time conveying my thoughts.

I read that Paul had pain (thorn in the flesh) and petitioned God about it and received this message.
2Co 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

It took me a long time to realize there was good that could come from my pain. But it could be that in my weakness His strength is made perfect. And I guess you can look at it like everyone has pains. But I know from experience that years of back pain are different than a few weeks with a broken arm. Either way, I'm done focusing on the pain and that is the point of the thread. Victory for me didn't have to come with physical healing.

Now I see more clearly. The understanding that one will have pain, acute or chronic, during a lifetime and not get healed is my point. Accepting the fact that this pain will be part of your life until death IMO is a victory. After this acceptance you can focus on other things. Then you can truly say "through Christ alone..."