GOD’S WORD FOR FEBRUARY 19 ~ ~ Revelation 21:4~ ~ “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
Despite modern medical advancements, pain management remains a difficult problem today. Man has used various forms of aspirin to manage pain for thousands of years. While more potent drugs can be used today, our primary approach to pain has changed little over the millennia. Recent advancements now promise to show us how to deal directly with many forms of pain.
Let’s say that you accidentally get a paper cut. The pain produced by a paper cut is always way out of proportion to the actual injury. Medical researchers tell us that the injured tissue creates a chemical called bradykinin. Bradykinin is the most potent pain-producing substance known. Bradykinin has a greater purpose than simply making your paper cut miserable. Bradykinin sets off a complex chain of chemical reactions that are important in healing your wound. In the process, bradykinin also links to nerve cells, causing them to send pain messages to your brain.
Scientists have begun to develop bradykinin blockers. These chemicals are designed to bind to the nerve cells in place of the bradykinin, preventing bradykinin from sending pain messages. As a result, pain is blocked at the source.
Sometimes, and in certain ways, a certain amount of pain is a good thing. It keeps us from over-doing when we are injured, so that our bodies can heal. That, too, has a spiritual counterpart.
Pain is a reality in our world because of sin. It not only warns us of injury but it reminds us of the ultimate consequences of sin. God has control of all things, and, like a parent, He may let us make our own mistakes. Like a mother bear, who allows her cub to take an adventure inspecting a skunk, or porcupine, in order to learn to avoid them later in life, after enduring the pain and discomfort. For the same reason, sometimes our heavenly Father will allow us to make some mistakes in life.
He most certainly will, sometime in our lives, actually bring a trial onto us, so that we will learn to rely upon Him and get to know Him. He promises us in His Word that it is always controlled:
1Corinthians 10:13 ~ ~ “No temptation (or trial) has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”
As someone said, He is like the refiner of gold, carefully watching the consistency of the metal and the temperature of the fire, for the best result without any damage——ending with the most precious metal.
He also reminds us that He will be with us in the trial—that is the important part, because, besides giving us strength to bear it, it is a chance to draw closer to Him in our pain.
We can trust Him—-completely—-always—-for everything!
And thanks be to God, who sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to bear the pain of our disobedience on the cross so that we might have the forgiveness of sins!