Posted by
peripheral on Friday, August 06, 2010 5:46:54 AM
From My Perspective - - -
Pain is one of life’s inevitables. Since the Fall of Man in the Garden
of Eden, “pain” became part of the curse for disobedience – pain in
childbirth; pain from working the fields and having to cope with
thorns; pain in the body from extended labor; pain in sorrow when Cain
killed his brother Abel. Pain became a continuum for all from that
point and place forward.
Yesterday’s Blog on Gnarled and Knotty did not have space to add some
personal vignettes of people and how they approached pain. In my
thoughts was a woman I knew almost 50 years ago who would sit on her
front porch every morning to read her Bible. She was in her 80s and her
body had considerable arthritis and she experienced daily pain. As she
sat on her porch she began each morning with this prayer: “Lord, Your
Word promises – as thy days, so shall thy strength be – I need that
strength to see me through this day – I claim that promise as my own.”
I also thought of another elderly lady in her 90s who had been involved
in music all of her life. She would come to church every Sunday and sit
at the piano – her knuckles were swollen and her bones would grind as
she was assisted to that place. She had constant pain but would sit at
the piano and stretch her fingers as best she could, and would then
play some lovely songs as a prelude and accompany the Hymns.
Medications that give some relief today were not always available 50
years ago.
Yesterday, my wife and I traveled to a Surgical Center where many
people had gathered to get some relief from their pain. It takes days
and sometimes weeks to get a slot for an outpatient treatment to get a
Nerve Block (Steroid Injection) to give some relief for the pain. Most
people are there because on a scale of 1 (least pain) to 10 (most
severe pain) they are measuring it as 8 to 10. They limp in and shuffle
along, sometimes requiring assistance or a wheel chair, because their
pain is so intense. Do they get relief? Yes! However, the relief they
receive is temporary and the procedure can be repeated up to three
times in a calendar year.
From a Legal point of view, for Physical or Psychological “Pain and
Suffering”, Punitive Damages are often sought and many times granted. A
Definition is: “Pain and suffering is the legal term for the physical
and emotional stress caused from an injury…Some damages that might be
under this category would be: aches, temporary and permanent
limitations on activity, potential shortening of life, depression or
scarring…it is common for someone to seek money both in compensation
for actual money that is lost and for the pain and stress associated
with virtually any injury…The amount of money damages a claimant gets
for pain and suffering will first depend upon the amount claimed in a
lawsuit if such is filed or the amount demanded to the responsible
party in the underlying claim if it is an insurance claim… Wrongful
Death Suits are also part of the Punitive Damages that can be sought.
Despite the reasoning for Punitive Damage Lawsuits, money can never and
will never alleviate Pain and Suffering.
Pain and Suffering are rampant in our world – injury, disease, sorrow,
starvation in many places of our world, homelessness caused by war and
natural disasters, lives being destroyed from the habitual use of drugs
and alcoholic beverages – is there any relief in sight? Is there any
hope?
Revelation 21:1-4 (Selected from NKJV), “I saw a new heaven and new
earth…the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them,
and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be
their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there
shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more
pain, for the former things have passed away.” In verse 27, “And the
city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God
gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.” We’re not there yet but if
we endure we will be – the time of “no more death, nor sorrow, nor
crying…and no more pain.” This is Hope you can really believe. Hebrews
4:11 (NKJV) urges” “And we desire that each one of you show the same
diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,” By Faith, you
can rest with confidence in this full assurance of hope. You can make
it – others have – and you can too! Consider these things with me!