Monday, January 7, 2013

Pain!

Yesterday, while cleaning up after dinner, I grabbed the blade to my food processor to wash it and sliced my index finger open. It bled profusely and caused me pain. As a matter of fact with every key I type it throbs again.

I'm not alone in this. Pain is something every one of you can relate to because we've all experienced pain, sometimes small pains like a sliced finger and other times large pains like giving birth to a child or passing kidney stones. While we would all like to live pain free and in constant pleasure, because we live in a telestial world that is not going to happen. We are going to experience pain and there isn't much we can do about it. As Lehi explained to his son Jacob, "It must needs be that there is an opposition in all things" (2 Nephi 2:11), and part of that opposition is pain.

But what most of us don't realize is that there are two kinds of pain, Necessary Pain because once we have cut our finger or broken our bone there is no alternative than to bear the pain until we heal, and  Unnecessary Pain which is completely avoidable. For the next few days we'll discuss Necessary Pain and give you more insights about Unnecessary Pain and how to avoid it. 

For now, as you go about your day and experience physical, emotional, or psychological pain--any kind of pain--stop and ask yourself if what you are experiencing is Necessary Pain or Unnecessary Pain. Tomorrow we'll see if you were able to identify the difference.

In the mean time, I really hope you have a pain free day!


2 comments:

Marsden Moments said...

Hi Sherrie, I've been thinking a lot about pain lately. On Dec 2 my son was broadsided in a car accident. He had a ruptured speen, disected aorta, collapsed lungs, disected liver, pelvis broken in 3 places, 4 broken ribs, internal bleeding, etc. While staying with him in the ICU I couldn't stand to see him in such pain. We had many family and friends and people we didn't even know praying, fasting and had priesthood blessings. One of the things I wanted most was to take his pain away, or lessen it. Through many miracles and tender mercies, his pain was lessened and he healed quickly and 12 days later her was home. (The Dr's figured it would take 2 months.) He can walk with crutches or a walker but shouldn't put weight on his left hip for a couple of months,...but it doesn't cause him pain to do so. Miracles do happen frequently every day. The Lord really is in the details of our lives!

Sherrie Mills Johnson said...

Marilyn, Thanks so much for sharing your story. While I am very sorry to hear about the car accident, I am so happy to hear about the miracles. Your family has indeed suffered pain and blessings. My prayers will be with you and your son as he continues to heal. What a blessing has come to your family!