When Time Doesn’t Fly

Job 9:25 - My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy.

​They say that the older we get the faster time flies.
 
I’ve had days like that. Sometimes months like that when I’ve been so busy trying to keep up with my hectic life that one day blurs into another.
 
The story is a bit different for those suffering from chronic pain or a debilitating disease. Everything we do. Everywhere we go. Our pain follows us.
 
We try to get involved in something; to fill up the time so that we can get through the day as quickly as possible, with hope that tomorrow will be a better day.
 
But sometimes things don’t get better. They get worse.
 
It is times like these, when our pain is high, that each moment drags its heels and makes you believe this day will never end.
 
Yet, maybe it’s those pain-filled days that make us stronger. I know that may not be what you want to hear, but it’s true none the less. And not only do they make us stronger they can help us appreciate things more.
 
We don’t have a huge deadline looming before us, so we can focus on enjoying the card that someone took the time to write us and not just toss it in the trash. Those in pain save their cards so they can be reminded of the thoughtfulness of others.
 
And when someone comes knocking on our door, with tears in their eyes from learning some bad health news, we can be a listening ear and answer questions they may have about what they’re facing.
 
You can become stronger, not weaker because of the path your pain is taking you on.
 
When the weaker have time stretched out before them, in an unending battle of our wills to keep fighting and not give up, we can remember the ones who are stuck in their cubicles at work. Their days are flying by with hardly a chance to do what they want to do, and they think we’re lucky because we have the time to enjoy a good book or take a short walk.
 
So, in weakness we can be strong.
In pain we can feel relief.
In sorrow we can find joy.
In days when time seems to drag its heels, we can have time to appreciate our ups and downs, our ins our outs.
 
No one promised us that living with pain or illness was easy, but we can choose to make the best of what we do have. What we can do is remember those who are on the verge of giving up on life. Maybe they’re the ones in their cubicles at work or maybe they’re the ones waiting for results from another test at the doctor’s office.
 
We can be the voice of encouragement to a world flying by. And to help you do that read the article, "How to Understand Someone With Chronic pain," on wikihow.com so you can be supportive to those in pain and see that the ideas may also be applied to other relationship issues.
 
While you watch other people’s lives fly by, it might seem like life is at a standstill when you’re in pain or ill, know that God cares about you and will help you make it through today and always.

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