“Nothing in your life is too small or insignificant to lay at the feet of Jesus.” Joni Eareckson Tada
My Mind Was Troubled
While I was troubled in my mind, I had consulted nobody, but knowing only by the light of faith that God was present, I contented myself with directing all my actions to Him, i.e., doing them with a desire to please Him, let what would come of it. (Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God, page 14)
When I am in deep pain, it can make me hunker down, put my shoulder to the grindstone, and mindlessly plow ahead. I tell myself there is really no need to bring this old, tiresome issue to God, for I know what is causing the agony anyway: my scoliosis is worsening, or my lower vertebrae are pinching. I have been here a thousand times, so why bother God? – or I shamefully tell myself, “I’m in too much pain to pray.”
BRING HIM YOUR PAIN
However, Jesus wants to be bothered. It pleases Him when we bring Him our shame. Pain may insist that prayer will not “make it go away,” but prayer always engages me with the power and presence of Jesus Christ, who gladly pours out a deluge of courage, a reservoir of perseverance, a wellspring of endurance and patience, and a marvelous peace that goes far beyond my understanding.
When I remember this, it brings Jesus pleasure. He smiles when I listen to his voice rather than the voice of my agonies. It is His joy to elevate me above the terrain of any dark discomfort when I respond to His whisper: I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world! (John 16:33).
A thousand times, yes. His peace and courage are just as much if not more, of a miracle than an actual release of my physical affliction. So, I will not listen to my pain; instead, I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me. (Psalm 120:1) It is Jesus’ pleasure to be my answer.
MEDITATE
Nothing in your life is too small or insignificant to lay at the feet of Jesus.
This post is an excerpt from The Practice of the Presence of Jesus: Daily Meditations on the Nearness of Our Savior (copyright © 2023 by Joni Eareckson Tada, published by Multnomah). Published with permission.
Joni Eareckson Tada
A diving accident left Joni, a quadriplegic, in a wheelchair at seventeen years old. She emerged from rehabilitation with a determination to help others in similar situations. In 1979, she founded Joni and Friends, a ministry committed to showcasing the gospel to people living with disability. An author of more than 45 books, including her latest—The Practice of the Presence of Jesus—Joni is also a radio host and fine art painter.
Pain's Greater Purpose
Pain, cultivated by the Spirit’s compassion, invites us to care deeply for one another, grow together, suffering with one another so that none of us is isolated or alone. Pain opens the door to the Spirit’s compassion in us.
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