I Shall Be Whole by Al Young
Pain can come in so many different forms: physical, mental, spiritual, emotional... Each one affects us differently and is individual to us. We can only try to sympathize and/or empathize with the pain of another person because we will never truly experience the exact same amount or type of pain as they have. Every individual is burdened with different types and degrees of pain. In a way, pain is like a snowflake, never exactly the same as it was before. Our bodies, minds, and hearts adapt after experiencing pain, and so every subsequent pain is altered by anything that came before. Pain can be remembered and held on to, like a grudge. Most often, pain can only be felt, but not visibly seen. As the hymn "More Holiness Give Me" so eloquently puts, "Sorrow that the eye can't see." Pain is almost impossible to measure because it is so unique to each person.
But the real beauty of pain is the fact that is the start of process towards strength. Whatever the end result may be, we eventually know that pain will end. It will shape us to be better people, and help us to become who we need to be. Exercising is the best metaphor for this concept. When you work out for the first time in a long time, your muscles feel it. There is an ache in your bones that tells you that you are molding your body into something better. The loss of breath, the roar of your thighs, the desire to collapse: all of these tell you to keep up the work. Your body will eventually use the pain to strengthen itself. It will become better because you have endured the pain. The pain will lessen as you continue to exercise, to teach your body how to find new levels of strength.
All of these thoughts stem from a painful weekend, on all different levels. A sore throat, aching body, and a broken heart vary in levels of intensity. And fortunately the reality is, the pain will not last. Eventually my throat will heal, my body will replenish, and my heart will mend with time. These different levels of pain will take different amounts of time to overcome. I will have to work and wait in patience until the pain will entirely subside. But when it is over, I will have become a stronger and better person. The pain will have taught me new lessons: get more sleep, take better care of myself, and to be a more compassionate person.
And the most incredible thing about all of this pain is the resounding fact that one individual does exist that understands my pain: my Savior, Jesus Christ. He knows my sorrows and my struggles. He knows what I have gone through. One of my favorite heroines of the scriptures is the Woman with the Issue of Blood. I can empathize with her pain in a very personal way, and I have always admired her powerful faith. She knew that if she only touched the hem of the Savior's robe and had the faith, then she would be healed. This short exchange with Christ teaches us so much about her and about Him. I want that kind of faith. I want to be that aware that I could notice when someone in a crowd would reach out and touch me. I want the Savior to heal me. Because I know that He is the only one who will truly heal me. This was reaffirmed to me last night as I was searching for comfort and discovered the most recent Bible video on the Mormon Messages YouTube Channel: Jesus Heals a Woman of Faith. I recommend it to everyone. It brought me comfort, and it reaffirmed my knowledge that it is only through the Savior that we can truly be made whole. He will help us turn our pain into strength. And that is the musing of a marvelous me.
How have you overcome pain? Who are your heroines or heroes for finding strength in pain? Please share your musings with me.
