Pain

There are many words that are over used. Words used too often, in the wrong context. One of those words is "pain". I hear it a lot. "I hate my job, it's a real pain." 'My little sister is such a pain." "I stubbed my toe this morning, and it was the worst pain." To me, none of those examples truly use the word "pain" as it is properly defined. There are however, things that we experience that are truly "painful". Things that gnaw on us. Things that make everything seem a little darker. Things that chip away our joy. In the last six months I've experience two of these "pains". These experiences have given me new insight and understanding of this word. They have also taught me how to replace the pieces of my joy they have chipped away. With every "painful" experience comes a gash in our joy. If we don't make an effort to repair the holes, eventually our joy will be completely gone. Thankfully, God has given me the right tools to make the needed repairs. Sometimes it takes a while to fill in the gaps, but with Him, it can (and is) happening. God can equip you with the same tools. There is no "pain" He can't heal.