The Purpose of Pain

Last Saturday I crushed my foot when a gum tree I was cutting down fell awkwardly directly onto my ankle like a battering ram. Initially I thought it wasn't so bad. Then I realised I was yet again wrong. I was taken to hospital and had my ankle and foot Xrayed. The bones had separated but not broken. The ligaments were damaged. The swelling was large. Despite the doctors telling me how "lucky" I was that I hadn't done more damage, and that I wouldn't be able to put any weight on it for a few weeks, by Sunday it didn't feel too bad and I was even hobbling around without my crutches. But by Tuesday I couldn't even stand up without the risk of passing out from the pain!

Suffering and pain. My pain is temporary. But not for some. Although, my pain grew as the week went on. Not only did my ankle become more painful as the week went on, but then my Laptop became sick and had to be taken to the Mac Shop. So in effect, at the start of my week I had lost the use of my right foot, then my right arm! But my week continued to get worse! As I fumbled for my mobile phone today on my bedside I dropped it into my coffee and spilt the blessed juice of the holy bean all over the collector's Wimbledon Tshirt I was wearing! My mobile phone suffered a coronary and had to rushed by Sonata to the ICU ward of the Mobile Phone Shop. Eeek. My suffering and pain continues...

But I have been consoled by the sovereignty of God. That is, I rest in the knowledge that what happened to me did not catch God by surprise. Added to this I rest in the knowledge that Christ would not let anything happen to me that was not for my good-

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

So as my week has continued to get seemingly worse I have not reacted with my usual frustration that I have up until recently defaulted to, instead I have enjoyed the peace of Christ knowing that He is good and only does good, even when I don't like or understand what's happening to me. God's purposes are always good. Even still, I hope you've all had a better week than me.

:)

Andrew Corbett