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Thursday, January 03, 2013

When Pain Strikes At Your Heart


Often, when we are struggling, when we are in pain, when we are going through something we've never gone through before, we wonder if we will ever get through it.  We wonder if the heartbreaking pain that we feel will last forever, or if it will ever stop.

I think it will stop.

know it will stop.  

I saw the words of Psalm 25 recently as I was looking through my Bible for another psalm.  The verses were bracketed with a date next to them:  7/3/04.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring me out of my distress
Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
--Psalm 25: 16-18

I don't remember why I marked them.  I  don't remember what was happening on that date.  I have no idea what I could have been going through that I felt lonely and afflicted and distressed.  Obviously, it was something that was just a blip on the radar screen of life.  It didn't last.  

It didn't last.  

There is some pain in this life that hits harder and will last much longer, but even that too, will lessen over time.  When one is in the middle of it, though, it can be all-consuming and sometimes it seems as if it will last forever, as if the pain will be the focus of life.  

And then life moves on.  Each day brings something new, each day brings a tiny bit of healing, as immeasurable as it may be that day.  But it adds up, so that sometime later, that pain is a distant memory.  

These aren't words that we can readily acknowledge while we are in pain--they are words that seem impossible, words that make us thing "yeah, whatever, you don't understand".  It's only through living in the present and hoping for the future that we can let go of the pain that holds us back.

Let go.  Live.

4 comments:

Denys Kelley said...

I always think of this type of pain as a heavy heart.... And you're right- over time things do get better.

Carolyn Wilman said...

as someone who has cried everyday for over three years, it feels as it will never end - I know it will as "this too shall pass", but when?! ...

Kelly J Youngblood said...

I am so sorry for whatever it is you are going through. I wish I knew the answer for you as to when it will stop.

Kelly J Youngblood said...

That's a good way of putting it.