Struggling with Chronic Pain in Your Life

          Chronic pain has become a part of my daily life. There were so many things that I could do when I was 40-years old, that are simply impossible. I suffer from Bilateral Neuropathy and some days I could just scream, “God why am I in such pain, why are you allowing me to suffer like this”?  “Nearly 1 in 2 Americans (133 million) live with chronic conditions and illnesses, such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS), diabetes and lupus. Their symptom: like pain, fatigue, muscle aches and weakness, disturbances in vision, cognitive difficulty, intestinal distress and memory loss, aren't always visible to the naked eye.” (John Hopkins University Chronic Pain Unit). So today let's look at the Word of God in an attempt to understand more clearly how God can use chronic pain in our life.
In 1 Corinthians 11:30, Paul speaks of “sin” as speaking the reason that many people suffer from illness’. But there are other reasons besides sin that people suffer from pain and illness. As I look back I believe there was a point that God used chronic pain in my life to slow me down and remind me of my mortality. Others have shared with me that they believed that it was a way God sanctifies us. I remember a pastor preaching that God allows us to suffer sometimes so that His glory can be displayed in healing us. No matter how we answer the question, “Why does God allow us to suffer, He is there with us to comfort us during our times of pain and there are at least four things that take place. First, we become more intimate with God (Job 42:5) Job suffered, lost his family and everything he had and out of his suffering came intimacy with God.Second, chronic pain and suffering prepares us to minister to others when they are suffering. Our having the same or similar illness allows us to move past sympathy to empathy so that we can show genuine compassion for the individual’s pain. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)”Suffers want to be ministered to by people who have suffered” (Sovereignty, Suffering, and the Work of Missions, Stephen F. Saint). When we have suffered we can provide hope to those who are suffering. An example would be the blacksmith in a western movie, he takes the horseshoe and places it in the fire until it is glowing hot, he then takes his hammer and begins to pound on it until it is shaped to perfection and into the water it goes. God does the same thing to us,  “ I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction." (Isaiah 48:10).
Third, chronic pain and suffering cause growth within us. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4) During our time of suffering and pain we can be confident and encouraged that Christ understands. I would challenge you if you suffer from chronic pain or maybe you know someone who does, help them, come alongside them and allow God to use you to show love and compassion to the hurting and afflicted.
  

A Template for a Healthy

            A church is not made of brick, mortar, windows and glass. It is a body of believers that come together as the body of Christ to make disciples, and share the Good News of Christ. The church has no other purpose. When our spiritual bodies are suffering due to relationships, stress, jealousy and pride the body of Christ cannot function cooperatively as Christ created it to be. In Acts, we see the early church “continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Act 2:42 NIV). The writer of Hebrews speaks of a healthy church as one that “Not forsaking assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near (Hebrews 10:25 NIV). Luke tells us, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers” Acts 20:28 NIV).  Sign of a healthy church would be, “devotion to one another, coming together for encouragement and fellowship, constantly praying and guarding each other against falling away and strong Spirit-filled leaders.

We must keep in mind, in absence of true leadership, people will listen to anyone who steps to the microphone. This is true in business, politics, society and the church. One of the key components of a healthy church is to have Holy Spirit guided leadership. This not only applies to the staff but flows down to each member.  God has given each of us spiritual gifts and we should lead within the capacity of the God-given gifts. The health of the organization is a result of the individual members maturing and ministering according to their role in the body. It is similar in the family. All members must fulfill their roles to have unity and purpose. For leaders to be effective they must be “Christ-Minded”. “Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:8 NIV) Unfortunately,  many churches continue to struggle with the question, “What is the goal of the church in today’s society?” Jesus has not only given us the answer but commissioned us to go make disciples. (Matthew 28:19). Some are born leaders but leadership can be taught and learned. “Leadership is not an exclusive club for those who were “born with it” The traits that are the raw material of leadership can be acquired” (John Maxwell, 21 Laws of Leadership). Therefore, for the church to be healthy each member must use their gifts as a family to fulfill the goal of making disciples. The church must take the infants in Christ and bring them to maturity in order that they might duplicate the teachings. Adding members is good multiplying them is our purpose. So I suggest making a shift from programs to purpose.

People engage people, not the color of the carpet or big screens and comfortable seating. “Everything we do programmatically points people to, or engages people with faith building dynamics which translate into obedience a catalyst for personal growth and personal growth results in spiritual maturity.” (Andy Stanley. Deep &Wide, 2012) .A healthy church is reaching out side its walls, preaching the gospel-guided by the Spirit both word and actions and the lost are coming to Christ and are being baptized. “Jesus made it very clear in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) that in our going, we are to make disciples. One of the most important ways to develop a disciple is to “baptize them in the name of the Father and os the Son and of the Holy Spirit. I would challenge you to evaluate your church based on a biblical  discipleship template Scoring (1 to 5) with these questions:

1.      Is the gospel proclaimed by word and deed?

2.      Are new believers being baptizedNew believers are being taught to surrender and sacrifice for the kingdom?

3.      Are new believers being intentionally and individually nurtured and developed by lay-leaders?

4.      Are new believers investing financial and personal resources in the kingdom of God?

5.      Does the church leadership see their role as equipping and empowering the saints?

6.      Do Small groups focus on building a relationship and intentionally develop both new members to grow in love for each other so that the goal of the disciple ship can be accomplished.

7.      Where Small groups are developing new leaders and starting new groups?

8.      The purpose of the church is discipleship not adding new programs?

A healthy church is a representation of the people of God coming together to accomplish the mission of God for the Glory of God. Painfully evaluate your church. If it scored in the 5-25 range, pray, working with your staff and get your hands dirty doing the work of Christ.