Stepping Out Onto the Stage of Pain

Deuteronomy 31:6 - Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Have you ever watched a dance recital? These graceful dancers hardly ever make a mistake. Their training and strength are evident to all. It takes a lot of practice to be able to dance in public where the entire world can see you.
                                                                          
I, too, step onto the stage except it’s not a dance recital, but the stage of pain. I may move around the stage in grace, but I often miss that last jump and fall flat on my face.
 
I scold myself for trying such a bold move. I shouldn’t try to dance while my body screams at me. But what else am I to do?
 
Stay in bed?
Stay inside?
Stay away from the happy times waiting for me to enjoy?
 
But when you live with chronic pain, the happy times are far and in between.
 
So let’s say you decide to plan a special outing once every six months.
 

• You’d make sure that you take it easy the week before.
• You’d make sure that you get a good night’s sleep the night before.
• You’d make sure that you have a nutritious breakfast the day of.
• And you’d make sure that you pace yourself when you start to dance, because otherwise you’ll burn out even before the third song is played by the band.

 
But of course I’m not talking about a real dance floor, though it would be fun to dance, I’m talking about the stage of life.
 
Dancers spend years practicing and learning how to make their bodies move gracefully on the stage. They also stay conscious of each move and the movements of the other dancers.
 
This is what those with chronic pain have to do as well.
 
Practice in your mind how you will spend your day out. Think about the ways you will need to move your body, and where the chairs are located so that you can sit down when you need to. (Knowing where the bathrooms are is also important.)
 
Life is indeed a stage. What are you going to do to get yourself out on the dance floor and enjoy life? I’ve already given you a few ideas, but what else can you do to find some happiness in the midst of your painful circumstances?
 
Happify.com posts in their article, “9 Tips for Finding Happiness When You’re Dealing With Chronic Pain,” suggests positive personality traits like optimism can impact the body’s perception of pain, and we’re not programmed to feel good while we’re feeling physical pain, and we shouldn’t expect ourselves to. We don’t have to let it ruin our day.
 
So, back to stepping out onto the stage of pain. Remember, that even if you fall, know that God will never judge you and he will give you the credit for trying. Walking our lives with grace is possible, mistake or no mistake. It just means remembering to not try doing it alone. God will goes with you when you step out onto the stage, and he will never leave you nor forsake you.

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