Pain in Disappointment

Welcome! Today we finish our “painful” series. I am really thankful for Brian’s, Fred’s and John’s teachings in the series, as there have been things in each that have helped me and made me think and pray differently. Today we talk about pain in disappointment.

All of us experience disappointment; it is a part of life. In the early parts of life, our disappointments often focus on specific actions and events. Let me give you an example from my life. As you all know, I play piano. I began taking lessons when I was five, and continued to take lessons all through my growing up years. As a teenager, I began to enter piano competitions. One of my keenest disappointments I remember at this time was practicing like crazy before a competition, and then, during the competition, playing my pieces well, even perhaps the best I had ever played them. Then we all had to leave the room while the judges deliberated, and when we were told to come back I was nervous, far more nervous than I was when I played for the judges! First maybe they announced the honorable mentions – I was not included. I still had my hopes up; I thought I was at least in the top 5, although I kind of doubted I was the best. One or two just seemed pretty flawless, although maybe I was more musical. Then they announce 3rd place. Not me. I guess I managed to be 2nd, I thought. Then they announced 2nd. Not me. 

Pain in Waiting

Before we pray for a minute, I just want to take you on a little side trip into Hebrews chapter 1:

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels did He ever say,

“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You”?

And again,

“I will be a Father to Him
And He shall be a Son to Me”?

And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says,

“And let all the angels of God worship Him.”                                        Hebrews 1:1-6

Pain in Grief

Understanding how to help myself and others after a loss

My prayer is that this teaching will equip you as you minister to yourself and others around you as you and they go through the grieving process due to the loss of someone very close to you.

        

First, what is Grief?

Definition of Grief: 
1.)   A cognitive and emotional response to a significant loss

2.)  The price you pay for getting attached to someone or something

The first definition is what a psychologist would give if asked the question “What is grief?”. The second definition is the same definition but translated into layman’s terms.

Pain in Physical Suffering

As I was putting the finishing touches on my message this week, God was putting His finishing touches on me. I had pretty much finished my sermon several weeks ago because I’m going to use some of the same material as I teach at L.I.N.C. this week in Flordia.  I was waiting on God to give me any last minute thoughts before I finished preparing.  As I was updating a few things in my message, my ribs were wrapped in ace bandage.  What happened?  A few days earlier, Alex and I were playing basketball.  One of the students, about half my age, rammed his shoulder into my ribs leaving me sore for days on end.  In case you’re wondering, I didn’t let him make the shot.  He missed.  Earlier that week the rheumatologist diagnosed me with unspecified spondyloarthropathy.  It’s a diagnosis that explains why I have had to deal with so much pain in my back for nearly 20 years. 

 As many of you know, Miriam has gone through much suffering over the years.  I’ll share a little bit more about that in a minute.  Let me share a few Biblical thoughts that have helped me over the years to understand pain in physical suffering.