This post is a little long and it has little to do with Christmas except that this time of year is usually a time for new beginnings and restarts. So, go ahead and read. I hope you are encouraged and hopefully, it will help you through whatever tough time you are going through right now.
Pain is defined as physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury or careful effort; great care or trouble.
I have always told my kids that anything worth having in this life is hard to get. Anything worth doing takes effort. Anything on this Earth that you value greatly, you will suffer some pain or discomfort to obtain it. I have not found in my job, my life, or my family where something that you want to be changed or done, does not come with pain or some sort of discomfort or price. Don't get me wrong, I don't love pain, the Christian life is not painted in total shades of gray, but I do realize the importance of it. Pain affects people, it makes them cringe, it changes behavior, it tells you when to stop or how far you can go. Not very many people like pain. Most people will run and do everything they can to get away from pain. Is that you?
I am going to deal today with two types of pain that is in this life, the pain of discipline, which you could classify as those things that you know you need to do, don't want to do, but after its done, you're better off for doing them, and the pain of regret, which are those things that you know you need to do, but never do and later on you realize there is no way you can go back and you wish you had just gone ahead and did it. Discipline weighs ounces, while regret weighs tons, says Jim Rohn. My goal today is for you to understand the importance of pain in this life and start trying not to enjoy it but use it to push yourself and fight! Do the things that no one else wants to do! Don't be afraid of the uncomfortable situations, or life events that cause us problems, remember that Jesus suffered more and then some. I am talking about spiritual things that you know without a shadow of a doubt that scripture would back you and the only thing holding you back is Satan whispering to you that you can't do it, fear, or pain.
God tells us in his word clearly, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12
"We can either run away from God and be destroyed by the pain, or run to Him and be transformed by it" Sherri Burgess from the book Bronner
In my circles (running and sports medicine), I get to hear all sorts of one-liners to encourage others to do better than they think they can do, so they don't feel the pain of regret but will use the pain of discipline, to in turn create good habits. Here are some common ones and some of my favorites.
- "Take it one step at a time, you can do it!" as the patient gets up from the bed to take those first steps after being non-weight bearing after surgery.
-"Don't quit! just a few more yards", this coming from a coach on the football field.
-The classic, "shake it off", or "rub some dirt on it"
- "You ain't hurt, get up, let's go, push through it!"
-"Do the small things right", as I try to teach my son, Logan about doing the things that nobody sees
-"Come On, Anthony, Go! Just a little further!" What I say to myself while running.
-"Sin is sovereign, that is until Sovereign Grace dethrones it," Spurgeon says to me from a painting hanging on my office wall.
-"Don’t become a wandering generality. Be a meaningful specific." Zig Ziglar
-"Of course, motivation is not permanent. But then, neither is bathing; but it is something you should do on a regular basis." Zig Ziglar
-"If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time." Zig Ziglar says while talking to a group of folks about setting goals.
-"For your own good, for the good of your family and your future, grow a backbone. When something is wrong, stand up and say it is wrong, and don't back down." Dave Ramsey
-"The problem with your company is not the economy, it is not the lack of opportunity, it is not your team. The problem is you. That is the bad news. The good news is, if you're the problem, you're also the solution. You're the one person you can change the easiest. You can decide to grow. Grow your abilities, your character, your education, and your capacity. You can decide who you want to be and get about the business of becoming that person." Dave Ramsey says as he talks to people about problems in their lives.
Two of My Favorite movie quotes comes from Rocky Balboa
If you remember the movie, Rocky's son is blaming him for his circumstances, so Rocky speaks wisdom into the young man's life.
- But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward.
- But you gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you.
I love quotes and when said at the right time and under the right circumstances, I get a chill up my spine and feel like I could run through a brick wall or take down the biggest giant of a man or problem, no matter the amount of pain that might be involved, but there is one problem with all these quotes, THEY ALL COME FROM HUMAN BEINGS, they all come from human experiences, they are mere whisps of smoke that make you feel good for a time and then you leave empty. Is there any basis for them? Any Substance? When your back is against the wall when you have gotten about as low as you can go when your family member passes on to eternity when you are dealing with a customer that you know will never be happy, or even something as simple as the dog jumping on you when you're already dressed for work. Where can we go to get the kind of help that lasts, makes us grit our teeth, dig in and push through? I can't speak to all the bad situations that we might find ourselves in, but are you going to look on the internet and say, "now what did Dave Ramsey say about this or that?", maybe, or are you going to say, "If Anthony can run that far, surely I can do this or that?" Oh, I know, I'll just repeat to myself what Rocky said to his son and it will be alright. No, but you might say this:
So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:6
Or maybe this
“And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.”
Zechariah 10:5 KJV
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”
James 1:2-3, 12 ESV
or these verses out of Hebrews, I only put verses 1-3, but the whole chapter 12 will definitely light a fire, EVEN IF YOUR WOOD IS WET!!
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. Hebrews 12:1-4
or even when Jesus is about to ascend back to his throne
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
or in the garden, before his arrest
39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39
41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41
42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” Matthew 26:42
or
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
Or this from Revelation 13:10
If any is to be taken captive; To captivity, he goes
If any is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain.
Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.
““Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
Matthew 7:13-14
I can't paint a bold enough picture that would make you leave this place today and start telling every person you meet about Jesus and I don't mean to trivialize the struggles we go through in this life. Life is not easy, but I don't believe it is supposed to be. This is not Heaven. We are under a curse and until Christ returns, our lives on this Earth will be difficult and painful. I look around this place and at myself and I don't think anyone of us has had a bunch of Roman soldiers beat us within an inch of our lives, or hammer nails through our hands and feet to attach us to a wooden cross. The struggle is real and through the help of the Holy Spirit, the suffering that our Lord and Savior faced on the cross will hopefully make it more real to us. Pain and discomfort will make us change some things, but until we can realize the suffering of our God, we will continue to think that what we are doing is sufficient. The hope we have, the hope that gets us through each and every day is that Jesus gave his life for you and me. We could not pay the debt that we owed because of sin, but Jesus could and he did. Why? Because of his love for us and it's that love for us where our hope is found. Because of that love, he had for us is the reason we should tell others. We are called to endure, but it's not a call to just sit back, close our eyes and hold on, like we are on a roller coaster. We are to be actively enduring, always looking to our Savior for the help we need. The last thing, Jesus is the foundation for everything that I have just said, it would be very easy for me to come out of a troubled time and say "Look what I did!" "I pushed through" and never tell anyone about how Glorious, gracious, and merciful our heavenly Father is. Use those times of triumph to give praise to our creator, Giver of the Breath of Life, our Savior.
There is a lot of inspiration we can draw from our Savior, who endured more than any of us can fathom. When everything is as bad as you believe it can get, remember that Jesus is standing at the top of that valley you are in, telling you, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”” John 16:33 ESV
Me and My Son Landon 11-26-2020
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