Pain That Makes You Feel Alive

by 18 Comments

Pain is a normal part of life. No matter who you are or where you are from, when you fall down it is going to hurt. If someone you love betrays you, it is going to hurt. Pain is not something we can escape from.

We live in a culture that is so intent on preventing pain that we do anything we can to avoid it. We self-medicate. We get prescriptions. We avoid emotional attachments at all costs. Whatever we can do to not have to hurt.

I would argue that pain is not something that we should spend our whole lives running from. We should embrace it. (No, I’m not saying go out and purposefully hurt yourself, that is foolish.)

Pain is an indication that something is not right. Pain can bring change and transformation that wouldn’t be able to happen if it was never felt at all.

For example, if you bang your leg on the coffee table, pain is an indication that you need to pay more attention to your surroundings and where you are going.

If a person in your life is causing you pain, that is a sign that you need to make some changes. Either cut that person out of your life or set up some boundaries.

Some pain may seem senseless at the time you are experiencing it. When I had my miscarriage a couple years ago, I didn’t understand why it had happened. It hurt to know that my baby died in my womb, the same womb that was supposed to be nurturing and protecting it. But now that I have moved past the grief, I can see that even that pain was purposeful. I understand now what it is like to lose a baby you never got to hold, and I can minister to other women going through that same heartache, because I have been there. If I had numbed that pain with medication, I never would have fully felt it and worked through it, and I would still be stuck in some stage of grief. I would be useless to any women that needed to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Some pain is necessary. Childbirth causes intense pain, but it is followed by such sweet joy. I am an advocate for natural childbirth. I had my last baby at home. Out of my 5 children, 3 of them have been born with no pain medication. I am thankful for those experiences. Never in my life have I felt stronger or more accomplished than after delivering my baby. Working through that pain showed me that I am stronger than I thought.

Pain should also drive us into the arms of God. When I have felt like I just couldn’t take it anymore, God was my rock and my comforter. He helped me through when I couldn’t help myself. If you are in pain of any sort right now, especially emotional pain, look to God. He loves you and will carry you through.

Medication has it’s place, and we should always be cautious when the situation calls for it. But living your life with the sole purpose of avoiding pain isn’t living at all.

Do you have any experiences of pain making you a better person? If so, leave a comment. And if you are a blogger and would like to guest post on this topic, fill out my contact form and I will get back to you.

*This post written as part of the Write or Die Wednesday writing prompts.*

  • http://ofmiceandramen.blogspot.com/ veronicalee

    Hi! Stopping by from Mom Bloggers Club. Great blog!
    Have a nice day!

    • https://rahabtoriches.com/ Miranda Gonzalez

      Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week!

      • http://ofmiceandramen.blogspot.com/ veronicalee

        You are most welcome! Love your blog, btw.
        Happy Friday!

  • http://www.thechroniclesofchaos.com Mia Sutton

    I really love what you said about pain bringing change and transformation! It is so true. It can change us in so many ways and teach us things that we never knew about ourselves and our resiliency. Thank you so much for sharing you wise words with us for #WODW! xo

    • https://rahabtoriches.com/ Miranda Gonzalez

      Pain definitely teaches us about ourselves and out limits. When you mentioned transformation, I was also reminded of when we raised caterpillars last year and watched them turn to butterflies. As they leave their chrysalis, there is some blood, which makes you think that there is probably some pain they go through during their transformation. But without that pain, the world wouldn’t have beautiful butterflies, and they would still be stuck as caterpillars. Thanks for the reminder and thanks for the link-up and writing prompt. I enjoyed it!

  • http://www.everydaygyaan.com/ Corinne Rodrigues

    The line ‘ pain should drive us into the arms of God’ is enough to make us understand why we go through pain!

    • https://rahabtoriches.com/ Miranda Gonzalez

      Yes absolutely!

  • Debbie Kitterman

    Amen! God is our Rock and Comforter!! Our very present help in time of need. Thanks for sharing – Blessings neighbor….I am stopping by from #TheWeekendBrew

    • https://rahabtoriches.com/ Miranda Gonzalez

      Yes He is! Thanks for stopping by!

  • http://www.itsshellyscabaret.com/ Vashelle

    Miranda, what a beautiful and honest post. I agree that we are living in an over-medicated society; though, one can never really judge whether it is right or wrong for a person. I know there were times when I was tempted to get on medication for depression and anxiety, but so far I’ve been determined enough to fight those afflictions on my own. I don’t judge someone for going the other route though.

    And yes, I do think pain has made me a better person. I’m more empathetic and relatable, as well as accepting of others’ shortcomings :). We’re all human, therefore flawed!

    Thank you for sharing with us!

    • https://rahabtoriches.com/ Miranda Gonzalez

      Yes, you are right that medication is necessary sometimes and I would absolutely never judge someone who truly needed it. But, I also think that often times it is not necessary.

      Thanks so much for stopping by!

  • Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

    I agree, but up to a point. Dealing with a terminal malignancy of the pancreas, I’m facing pain that goes far beyond anything I have ever experienced. I’ve been shot, stabbed, blown up, and set afire (along with having broken a LOT of bones), and this is far, far worse…it’s a pain that carries with it a burden of sorrow…kind of like a thirst that cannot be quenched by anything. That’s the best way I can describe it.

    It’s not something to be embraced, by any means. It intends to kill me. It does not drive me closer to God; it doesn’t drive me away, but it is distracting.

    There is joy to be found here,most assuredly, but the grasping of that joy is an intentional act.

    There is closeness to God, but that comes along with the realization that He hates this even more than I do, and that He did not set it on me…it’s a byproduct of a creation in which free will is necessary, to allow us to choose His company, or another’s.

    I am a happy man, because I choose to be, and that happiness is chosen in spite of circumstance.

    For what it’s worth, I do write about it on my blog-

    http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2015/08/your-dying-spouse-39-stages-of-grief.html

    Here from Coffee and Conversation

    • https://rahabtoriches.com/ Miranda Gonzalez

      You are very right, and I hope I didn’t come across as insensitive. I have been blessed to not have to deal with a chronic or terminal illness, so I am sure it is not relevant to this post as it is life-consuming. I did have an acute bout of pancreatitis in 2013 that landed me in the hospital for a few days. I was in so much pain that my husband had to carry me in to the ER. So I do know that pancreatic pain is no joke. I am glad to hear that you are still able to find joy, even if you have to work at it. I will be going to check out your blog. Thank you so much for leaving the link, and for commenting and shedding light on the issue of chronic pain as well.

      • Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

        Not insensitive at all! You made some excellent, compassionate points.

        I’m sorry you had to experience pancreatitis first-hand. It’s one of the worst afflictions.

        http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2015/08/eye-of-storm-blogbattle.html

  • terri presser

    This is an interesting post Miranda and I will say that emotional pain does drive me to God. When we went through the loss of a child at 26 weeks gestation that pain was almost unbearable, but God never left us. Thank you for sharing with us at Good Morning Mondays. Blessings

    • https://rahabtoriches.com/ Miranda Gonzalez

      I know how the loss of a child before they are born can make you feel so empty inside. What a blessing that even in our darkest times, God is there holding us. It gives me great comfort that I will one day see my baby alive and well in Heaven, as I’m sure it does you as well. Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting!

  • Rebekah M. Hallberg

    So much good truth here. Pain should drive us to Jesus – yes. Abiding in Him, even through the pain, is how we can be made whole. Thanks for sharing with us at Grace & Truth!

  • 60-TheNew40.com

    Thank you for sharing these thoughts on pain. I think sometimes God allows us to have pain in order to get our attention. Causing us to run to Him who is our comforter and strength. Maybe causing us to take stock of the direction we are going or making a directional adjustment. Good thoughts in your post and thanks for bringing them to Fridays Blog Booster Party.
    Kathleen