What if God took away our pain? Isn’t that what we all want? I had this profound thought last night about pain.
Pain is the motivator. When we have pain, we move. When we have pain, it causes us to take action. There are those who will tolerate the pain. There are those that have no clue they are in pain. When the pain reaches a level of discomfort no longer tolerated, we move.
There is More.
Looking back on my story from yesterday; Getting Your Ego Smashed is the Strangest Thing, I fell on the couch in desperation of my pain and I asked God to please help me. Then God gave me hope!
Just when “you” thought it’s been a while since something happened, a new light gets turned on coming out of left field, that totally coincides with the rest of the themes. It is full of evidence and provides a fresh look at the problems. It is a 1-2 punch. It’s just what is needed to take a new direction.
So what happened? Just because God told me it will be ok, doesn’t mean it ended there. I had to surrender. Truly surrender. Surrender is not a once and done action. It is a daily action. It is the beginning of the work!
YES! Getting your Ego Smashed is Work!
I hope this is making sense! No one really sets out to have their Ego smashed. Why? Because that is painful. Eating humble pie is not exactly comfortable. At least at first. Here is where the profound comes in.
Pain is the motivator for change. Pain is the motivator to surrender. I describe it this way: Surrender means do nothing. Therefore, the action is to do nothing. Or in the case of whatever it is that you struggle with… FULL STOP!
Easier said than done.
The path to humility is painful. What I have come to realize is, pain is what causes us to surrender. The discomfort and pain of surrender is what keeps us in humility. In layman’s terms. Pain = More Pain. Or Unhealthy Pain = Healthy Pain = Growth We don’t seek out pain, however, when we do surrender, more pain is recognized in a different way.
When we experience pain, it forces us to surrender – to pause. In that surrender, we either act or choose not to act. Full Stop. When we stop the behaviors that created the original pain, a new kind of discomfort appears. It isn’t the old pain – it’s the pain of growth.
Once we grow, that pain is no longer uncomfortable. This means that we are mature in our minds – accepting the truth – allowing the heart to stay open to God’s warmth.
In a simple one sentence essence:
We are humbly confident without needing to be superior.
Of Course, Jesus is our example:
The Essence of Jesus we can apply to ourselves:
- Knows exactly who He is.
- Has nothing to prove.
- Serves without seeking status.
- Speaks truth without ego.
- Uses authority to lift, not to crush.
He embodies confidence without superiority, power without pride, identity without vanity.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
My Comment? I suggest you read the entire Chapter!