Let’s be honest. Even if you don’t start the year with a new year’s resolution, you still feel compelled to do things better. Maybe you want to eat healthier, exercise more, start a new project, or finally finish the one you started years ago. It’s a natural response. The end of one year and the beginning of another can help us reset, refocus, and re-spur our flailing motivations.

I always feel inspired and hopeful at the beginning of the year. After all, I am a creative person. I’m always thinking of creative ways to do things. This year is no exception. I see in my mind how my life will look this year. I know the things I should do and the things I want to do. Like today. I planned on participating in the 21-day fasting and prayer put on by my church. I saw myself doing this alongside my husband. I imagined we would grow closer to God and closer to each other. But today wasn’t going as planned.

Here’s the kicker, we both are in pain! We aren’t sleeping well and doing basic things hurt, leaving us grumpy and frustrated. We handle our pain differently. I avoid and he pushes. He needs to be accomplishing something and I’m content to sit and read. Maybe he needs to take it easier and maybe I should be more proactive. But one thing’s for sure, neither one of us is dealing with our pain well.

Pain is a killer of our best intentions. Sometimes pain overwhelms us and our interactions reflect our pain instead of hearts. It’s those times we need to stop, get out of our heads, and recognize our situation. Pain is our body’s way of telling us something isn’t right. Navigating the path pain puts us on can be full of pitfalls. Pitfalls I find myself falling in constantly.

The verse that came to mind might surprise you.

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT

Pain is not something to be ignored, but neither is it something that should rule you. Don’t let pain deter you from moving forward. Faith will ground you, hope will propel you, and love will sustain you.

Lord, I pray for those in pain. That you will be beside them on the path. Renew their hope and surround them with your love and peace.

Grace & Peace,

Sandy

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