DISTRACTED by Chronic Pain May 27, 2009

Blurring the FINE Line's

1 Corinthians 1 Paul refers to Jesus Christ nine times in the first nine verses. We are correctly focused when we can say from the depths of our being, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21, ESV), and that our determined purpose in life is “that I may know him …” (Philippians 3:10).

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“But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3 (ESV)

I think for those of us with Chronic Pain and Illness the distraction can often be our pain and suffering. We once had a clear VISION. For many of us our focus was once squarely on Christ. Then the unthinkable happened. And out of shear GRIEF our focus became consumed with the details of our illness. We became completely distracted from our true passion and slowly we ceased to be LIGHT UNTO THE WORLD that we once knew Christ has called us to be.

In our desperate attempts to take cover from the frequent strikes of PAIN being perpetrated against us, our sight then becomes fixed on finding anything that can distract us from the gnawing painful ache that often ravishes our body and often our SOUL. These distractions we choose to use for relief often are steeped in self and selfish needs that quietly draw us away from a pure devotion to Christ. We crawl into the crevices of the world looking for solace finding it in darkness rather than LIGHT. As a result we are stolen from our spouse…our family…and even ourselves. Indeed, the enemy will use whatever means it takes.

We have to keep in mind that the enemy brings his very best performance when he is in character playing the role of an ‘angel of light’. The distractions that are calling us away from the ways of Christ are not necessarily BAD things in and of themselves. But, we must be ever vigilant for the tricks of the enemy to draw us toward “good causes” rather than experiencing God’s best which is found in Christ Himself. Paul said it this way, “”But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3 (ESV) Paul knew about distractions.

We do have a choice you know. We can choose Christ. We can. We can choose to keep our focus on these things which are lovely, and pure, and holy, and right. PAIN that has been allowed…and yes, it has been allowed by our Maker…can become the very thing of BEAUTY that our heart desires when, instead of finding worldly “distractions”, we draw nearer to Him. Our Brother, Jesus Christ, had a moment in the garden where he pondered if there might not another way. A way in which that the ultimate outcome could be accomplished without the need to go through the PAIN and SUFFERING of the cross. Oh, how terrible it would be for us today had he allowed himself to become distracted, finding a way…any way…to NOT have to endure the excruciating PAIN cross. Thank you for your obedience Jesus. God’s perfect LOVE indeed gave Your OBEDIENCE PURPOSE!

What our Father chooses to allow to enter into our lives is with tremendous and deep consideration. He is never flippant with His Love. He is sure of what He allows. It is not a mistake. Although, it can feel like more than we can endure – with Christ nothing is impossible. And we can take what the world sees as a CURSE and help them to see the true BLESSING that it is.

This kind of spiritual surrender is not accomplished by being strong in oneself, but in yeilding our “right” to live pain free by whatever means – distraction we can find. Prostrating Himself before the Father, Paul, in response to the thorn in his flesh, writes that it is the GRACE of God (which is Christ) alone that is his SUFFICIENCY. And this kind of humility will find that Christ alone is indeed sufficient for our THORN as well.

In her book Between Walden and the Whirlwind, author Jean Fleming points to the example of ‘simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ’ in the life and letters of the apostle Paul: “The apostle Paul’s obvious center was Christ. His writings never digress from Christ. They ring with the steady, predictable hammer striking the anvil of life; life is in Christ, of Christ, through Christ, by Christ, with Christ, for Christ, from Christ. To live is Christ, and to die is more of Christ.’

In Christ alone I put my trust.
~Seleh

Is this life I live today Part of the Potter’s Plan? April 6, 2009

“We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Isaiah 68:8 NKJB

My imagination soars when I think of being living clay. The idea that we are being molded and made WHOLE by the Master Potter excites my being to it’s very core – spirit, soul, and body!

For my SPIRIT this revelation brings about a sense of deep communion with my Lord. Like “deep calls unto deep”, when a potter is handling clay he is passionately intimate with it. His hands, his imagination, and his desire are left impressed upon the clay. In that sense the clay becomes like the potter, for as a finished piece it will exhibit his heart.

For my SOUL this particular analogy of the potter and the clay brings about the feeling of security. Because of the intimate nature of the relationship between the potter and the clay – the clay is guarded and protected. The potter’s plan for handling the clay is to leave an impression of his WHOLE self upon it. It’s personal to him and he won’t allow anything to interfere with the plan he has for this – for HIS lump of clay. It takes a beautiful mind full of creative imagination and emotion to take what is cold and dead and give it a heartbeat. In the end it is a finished work of ART to the potter to be used for the specific PURPOSE he had in mind from the very beginning.

And for my BODY this picture arouses intense desire. Desire to surrender to the process of being actively formed into what was always intended. It takes both tremendous force and a sensitive delicate touch to complete what only can be brought about by the touch of the the potter’s hand. The harder the clay – the more strength the potter must use in handling the clay.  Each step of the process is equally valuable and vastly important. Not one turn of wheel is for nothing. By working the clay between his fingers, by caressing it with the palms of his hands, by working the water into the clay, by literally impressing his fingerprints into clay so that it surrenders to his will he is able to complete a work that has immeasurable worth.

As a person who lives with chronic illness and pain I find even the lightest touch can sometimes bring intense pain to my whole body.  I have questioned the Potter’s need keep His hands on this broken vessel called a body of LIVING CLAY. I’ve threatened to crawl off the wheel.

My mind and emotions have desparatly cried out to not just have some sort of “mental assent” to the fact that I am secure and protected and provided for, but to “know deep down in my knowing place”  that it is absolute truth. I have needed for the Potter whose ways are infinitely higher than mine to somehow let my finite soul KNOW that “even in this” there is Divine purpose.

And I have desired to surrender my spirit in ways I would have never known imaginable if it weren’t for my desperate need for the Gracious touch of the Potter’s Hands.

I find something powerful in all of this that makes it so worth it to LIVE WHOLE with Chronic Pain.

Until Next Time ~ Shalom