How slowly time passes when chronic pain changed everything about our daily routine. Shelly asks if we have the right perspective when it comes to how long we suffer.
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1 Peter 1:6).
I remember those last few months of school when I was a child. To a 3rd grader life begins on that last day. Running home, head full of big adventures planned, nothing but nonstop fun and gorgeous weather for three whole months!
Those last few months of a school year seemed to slow down to the pace of less than a snail. Anticipation makes for the desire to hurry things up, and 9-year-olds and patience aren’t exactly besties.
Looking back, I see without a doubt that those last few months were the mere blink of an eye. And the three months of summer weren’t much slower.
I also remember the last few weeks of pregnancy. I was so ready to meet this baby, to coddle and hold him. And never underestimate the sense of urgency that comes from having your bladder mistaken for a trampoline!
But let me tell you, from this side of pregnancy, when that baby boy turned 16 this year, that whole nine months was the space of a heartbeat. And these 16 years haven’t been much slower.
It’s all about perspective, isn’t it? It’s not something you can explain to someone who is in that moment. In our own chronic moments . . . the moments of unending pain and strangling fear. This sure doesn’t seem like a little while, does it?
But it is . . .
“Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near” (James 5:7-8).
And one day we can look back and see how tiny of a span it was in light of our eternal rest and redemption.
Prayer: Holy Lord, forgive us when we are stuck in the moment. Be patient with our lack of patience. We so long to be with You. Thank You for preparing our place with You, at just that right moment. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
About the author:
Shelly Hendricks is a wife and mother of 2 amazing kids. They live the good life in South Louisiana. She was a teacher and a librarian in another life. She also suffers from Intracranial Hypertension and a yet-unnamed neuro degenerative disease, among a myriad of other issues mostly stemming from these two. She had brain surgery in 2012, to install a VP Shunt, and had a revision in January 2014. Though her condition continues to deteriorate, her spirit is constantly focused on eternity. Disability has been hard to deal with, but she depends on God for all strength and hopes to encourage others on this journey, through her blog at http://reneweddaily.com
Can you think of a time when you were feeling particularly “Come, Lord Jesus”? What did God do that helped you to put that into perspective?
Chronic Illness Pain Daily Devotionals 