On December 14, I fell down the stairs at my house and dislocated my shoulder. It was quite painful.
Now, I’ve seen movies where people dislocate their shoulders – usually sports’ movies. In those, the athlete is in a lot of pain, but then the trainer comes on, pops the offending joint back into place, and the athlete smiles, jumps up, and returns to the game.
That is a big fat lie, people.
While, yes, there was massive relief when my shoulder was relocated, it still hurt! I had to keep it next to my body, held tight in a sling, for weeks. Then, when it came out of the sling, I discovered I had very little mobility. I couldn’t lift my arm, put it behind my back, reach for something beside me. All those muscles holding my shoulder in place had been stretched (thankfully not torn!), and they had to get back to normal. I needed months of physical therapy and daily exercises to get back to a sense of normal, though I am learning it will never be exactly the same.
That fall was like the exclamation point on what was one of the worst years of my life. There was so much hurt last year: emotional, physical, mental, spiritual. And, as I am coming out of that year and able to reflect on it, I realize the “shoulder principle” holds true to everything.
Pain – in whatever form it comes – doesn’t ever immediately disappear. As much as I wish it would, pain lingers. “Therapy” is needed — physical, in the case of my shoulder, but in other cases, emotional and spiritual therapy is needed. Thankfully, I have a great husband who knows me well and knows God’s word well. He spent many hours talking me through the pain of last year, praying with me, reminding me of what’s true and what are lies. I have a great church where I feel loved and encouraged, where I belong, that reminds me I am not alone. I have great friends who rally behind me and encourage me through the tough times.
We also need “exercise”. Just as I needed to work daily to strengthen the muscles in my shoulder, I needed to daily walk with my Lord. I struggled with bitterness and anger and a sense of injustice at so many things. I struggled to forgive. I hurt. Those struggles didn’t immediately go away. Just like my shoulder, even when I was “right”, I was still battling the pain. And the tools I needed to fight those battles were in God’s word. I learned quickly that I don’t have the ability on my own to fight any battle. But, with God, all things are possible.
Friends, life can be painful. And there is no “quick fix.” God never promises that we will always have smooth roads to walk and no problems to face – just the opposite, in fact. But He has given us an example of how to face those struggles. When Jesus was on earth, He spent time with God, alone, and He spent time with His followers, in community. He endured more pain than we can imagine, and He came out victorious. Through His strength, we can do the same.
If you are in a season of pain or recovery, know that it is a season. It will end. Keep pursuing healing, keep your eyes on what is True.
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lam. 3:22-23
