Is There a Right Time?

Ecclesiastes 3:1 - There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.

​When in a relationship, those with chronic pain or an illness have to decide when is the right time to talk about your physical problems?
 
Most chronic pain sufferers who have had to make this decision would suggest you tell the other person early on. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to tell them. You may feel scared to do so and wonder:
 
Will it chase them away?
 
Will they accept me?
 
Will they even care that I’m suffering?
 
All difficult questions.
 
There’s another choice you can make, but it may not be the best way to help your relationships:
 
It’s easy to pretend that you’re okay even in a flare-up. As I have written about before, for someone who cares about you and knows you’re in pain, it can be difficult for them because they feel helpless and don’t know what to do or how to deal with what you just told them.
 
Find some suggestions on how to explain your chronic pain to others when that time comes from wikiHow.com in the article, “How to Explain Your Chronic Pain to Others,” such as explaining your condition, as well as letting them know that the pain is real.
 
Now that you’ve learned how to approach someone in your life about your chronic pain or illness, it’s time to decide when. As the Bible verse above says, there is a time and season for everything. It can be scary, but sharing that you suffer in pain can open up the door for deeper relationships if you and the other person are willing to try.

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