When Pain Is Silenced

Pain has a way of speaking from a low grumble to a shout when you have been injured or overcome by an illness.

No matter how soothing a friend's voice or gentle the touch from someone you love, pain drowns out any comfort. You can't hear their voice as much as you try. You feel like you are in a different zone, far away in some strange, unsettling place. Questions are unanswered and your mind is weary from trying to stay level headed while the fear of losing control grows stronger. You struggle to make sense just how a few minutes ago your world was going so well and suddenly everything had changed. Your mood takes a nose dive into a dark pool of depression.

Many in Scripture have known great suffering and unexplained pain. For many it wasn't because of sin, but living a holy and godly life. David expresses from a place of deep pain in Psalms 38.

My heart throbs, my strength fails me; And the light of my eyes, even that has gone from me. My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague; And my kinsmen stand afar off. Those who seek my life lay snares for me; And those who seek to injure me have threatened destruction, And they devise treachery all day long...(verses 10-12, NIV).

When we find ourselves in pain, beloved, God is merciful to give relief. He pours grace over a feverish body, pierces the darkness with hope and even a smile to the parched lips knowing all things (the bad, ugly and good) work together for those who love Him and are called for His purpose.

Pain has a way of isolating, shutting down the mind and heart from responding and all you do is want to survive. Beloved, let God's voice roar over the pain as He leads you through the shadow of the valley of death. You will make it. You will overcome because He carried every sickness and disease.

At the beginning of Psalms 38 it says, A Psalms of David to bring to remembrance. How many times we have gone through painful struggles to think it's all over, but then God brings us through. While we may remember some of the pain and difficulty we are overwhelmed how God brought deliverance, healing and joy that it overshadows the suffering.

And that is how pain is silenced by remembering God's goodness when life is not so good and comforting. So we can pass through the valley of the shadow of death to a table prepared for us in the presence of our enemy (Psalms 23:5).