From Hopeless to Healing: My Journey Through Pain

Do you live with chronic pain and no hope that it can get better?

Psalm 41:3 KJV
“The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.”

Tears pooled in my eyes, and my hands shook as I read through the doctor’s office notes. I was cleaning my desk and going through old papers. It took me back to a time when my life was particularly tough. The pain in my body overwhelmed me; it prevented my sleep and stole my joy. The praise for my Lord bubbled in my heart when I remembered my helplessness and hopelessness.

The diagnosis written on those papers frightened me. My doctor thought I had lupus and multiple sclerosis. Some of the tests showed positive results, while others were negative. So, I never received a definite diagnosis. I wasn’t sure what was wrong, but I knew something was causing all the inflammation in my hands and body. I recall trying to speak, and my words came out slurred. I remember sliding to the edge of my bed each morning and praying I wouldn’t fall again. My muscles felt stiff, and I felt swollen all over. At that time, several doctors told me to quit my job and sign up for disability. I could barely walk, and the pain felt unbearable most days.

I remember lying in bed, during the worst of it, talking to God about it. I told Him that if He showed me how to overcome it all, I would help others do the same. That moment was the turning point. Things would come to my mind, and I would research them. I read everything I could get my hands on about healing my body. And I tried the things I read about.

The things that helped me the most:

Physical Steps I Took

Changing my diet. I stopped eating gluten and dairy. It helped my brain fog tremendously. I also limited the amount of sugar I consumed. I only allow natural sugars from fruits, honey, or stevia. Daily, I fill my body with vegetables, fruit, lean meat, and nuts.
Juicing. I bought a juicer and made fresh juice as often as I could. It gave me a little boost of energy every time I drank it. I researched the best vegetables to reduce inflammation and promote healing.
Supplements. Turmeric helped me the most. It took a few months for me to notice the benefits, but the swelling in my body decreased. I also took magnesium, fish oil, ashwagandha, and vitamin D.
Exercise. Yoga and walking helped with the stiffness. While it was tough to exercise at first—I cried through my workouts—I kept going. My goal was 30 minutes a day, and I did it regardless of how I felt.
Breathing. I learned deep breathing exercises to help me deal with stress.

Spiritual & Emotional Steps I Took
6. Mindfulness. I learned to meditate and how to be in the present moment. I worked on my thoughts and how to let go of things that were not helpful to me. Negative thoughts can be extremely harmful to us.
7. Vision. Every night, as I fell asleep, I imagined myself getting better. I saw myself running with the kids and feeling great again.
8. Forgiveness. I let go of anything causing me pain. I forgave others who had hurt me, and then I forgave myself.
9. Journaling. It helps me to get my thoughts out of my head and onto paper. Then, I can discern the lies from the truth. Journaling helps me to work through the pain and think better thoughts.
10. Prayer. Turning over my heartaches to the Lord has been of great help to me, especially when I can leave them with Him and no longer worry about them.

While I still have flare-ups from time to time, for the most part, I feel amazing. My body no longer hurts when I wake up, and I haven’t fallen since I hurt my elbow a few years ago. God gave me the knowledge of what I needed to do. Then, it was up to me to do it. I prayed for healing for years, but I ignored the nudges of my heart.

GOD STEPPED IN AND BLESSED MY EFFORTS when I took action and did my part.

Not every step will look the same for everyone, but the truth remains—God wants to guide us in caring for our bodies, our minds, and our souls. When we take a step in faith, He blesses our efforts.

3 John 1:2 KJV
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”

Sweet friend, if you are struggling with chronic pain, please don’t give up. Cry out to God, take the next small step, and trust that He can bless your efforts too.

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