Subject: physical pain
Question: Hi. In the Bible it says how God will not let us go through something we cannot
cope with. Does this apply to physical pain, too, please?
Answer: I am not aware of any scripture passage that says God will not give us more than we can bear in terms of pain, physical illness, or bad circumstances. However, one verse that is frequently sited is:
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
If you read the verses before and after this verse, you will find the context is not speaking of trials in the sense of pain, illness or bad circumstances, but rather it is talking about temptation to do evil. It is written in the context of fleeing idolatry.
We do find comfort, though, in the passage I have sited below:
2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
While God doesn't promise the pain or physical ailment will not be more than we can handle, He does promise grace to persevere and endure it. However, this comes with a responsibility on our part. We must actively be in God's Word daily, searching the scriptures for His comfort and direction and we must constantly lean on Him and trust Him to give the grace we need to persevere. I recently read in Jerry Bridges book, "Respectable Sins" that we need to constantly seek God's face for help in being good stewards of the difficult circumstances He has allowed in our lives. Here is the quote: "May all of us, with the help of the Holy Spirit, move from negative attitudes of discontentment to a positive attitude of being stewards of the difficult and disappointing circumstances God has given us so that we may somehow glorify Him in all of life." AS we seek to honor God in our pain, He will give us the grace we need to endure it.
I am not advocating the refusal of pain medications here. If you are in severe pain, by all means do go to a doctor and get appropriate pain medication to help control it. We must do what we can to help alleviate the problem of pain, while at the same time having a mind set that seeks to honor God in our pain. I pray that you will find relief if that is God's will and that you find His grace sufficient to carry you through. From one fellow-sufferer to another, Marsha
1 comment:
Marsha, this was a good read to me and one I've struggled with a bit in the past few years. There is so much mystery on this side of heaven, why so many suffer. I guess it all really comes down to what you say that God is sufficient to carry us through. Trust is a big issue that I work on in this area. Thanks for this post and the Jerry Bridges book sounds interesting.
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