A couple of weeks ago, I stared at a blank page in my journal. I wasn't even sure of the words to write on the suffering and pain that has been continuous. In my life, in the last four years, there hasn't been any relief from pain.
November is a hard month for me. In many ways, it's a reminder of when I lost someone close to me, the chronic pain starting, and depression worsening. This is all happened four years ago. I was in my senior year of high school at the time, and the overwhelming amount of grief and pain continued for several months.
The pain has led to nights of tears, sorrow, and questioning. There were moments I didn't understand why I would grow up healthy to living in constant pain. Now, this is more discouraging because I'm only a young adult. I'm not even able to recall the last day I was living without any form of pain.
Maybe this is part of your story? You could be living through continued pain because of an illness, grief, or any form of loss. You may be holding on by a thread because you haven't found any relief.
I hope in a small way, the words I share will be an encouragement. Even though I may not know you or even understand the pain you have endured, a better day will come. I encourage you to keep holding on. Don't let this pain keep you from living through this journey God has planned. He will use this even when it's hard to see the light at the end of a tunnel.
Something I have learned is the impact it makes to share about the seasons of pain. Through sharing we are letting others know they are not alone. I didn't even realize in the first moments of chronic pain, how God would soon use my story to be an encouragement. He would bring out a confidence in me that I didn't have before. My life is being used to be a voice to those that feel alone.
God can do the same in your life. Living with pain is a struggle for anyone. And it feels isolating. I hope you will use the suffering you are facing today to be an encouragement to others. You never know how a part of your story will be impactful to another.
Friend, I'm sorry if you are not experiencing any relief. Living with chronic pain is discouraging because it can gradually worsen. But, the pain is not the end of your story, only the beginning to the purpose of your life.
I wanted to end today's post with some quotes that have encouraged me the past several years. Both Corrie Ten Boom, and Helen Keller had lived through suffering. I encourage to read their stories and how they found hope even in pain. What they both had gone through is in inspiration to me. They continued on in life even when the suffering from present. Because of this, they made an impact on many.
Inspirational Quotes
“When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.”
Corrie Ten Boom
"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."
Corrie Ten Boom
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.”
Helen Keller
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."
Helen Keller