Spiritual Fitness & Living With Chronic Pain

I am reluctant to openly proclaim any New Year’s resolutions for 2009. For one thing, setting the typical goals, like losing weight or spending less money or becoming something better, very rarely turns out the way any of us usually intends. And whenever we have accomplished New Year’s resolutions in years past, the basis for doing so may have something to do with the fact that many of us have set the bar too low to begin with. Regardless, I cringe at the idea of making a resolution, and then within a short period of time, turning a positive declaration of self-improvement into a broken promise. The emotional “highs and lows” from doing this simply cause me to make another feeble attempt at an easier resolution. This practice nullifies any perceived benefit to making resolutions in the first place.

Much of what I advocate involves transformation. So does goal-setting have an integral role in the panorama of personal or professional changeover? For some, I believe so. As for me, and from what I gather from countless others who fail at achieving goals, not really.

When we set our target goals, inadvertently, we leave God out of the equation of our lives. While strategies and focus are excellent tools for building upon the future, I believe that living by the inspiration of God clearly opens the door to spiritual enlightenment and prosperous living. So in effect, I find goals something out of tune with dying to self and learning to live by faith.

And if we live with overwhelming adversity, goals and/or predictions almost seem silly. Spend thirty minutes watching any news-reporting station and we might just find ourselves being led into depression and hopelessness. Catastrophe and extreme depths of tragedy underscore the headlines, making us think that even the good stories have some twisted endings.

How can we plan our course of life when continually attacked with the darkened and liberal perspectives about the human condition? And when we ponder about the condition and its conclusion, the image takes on a gloomy pictorial, whereby hoards of the human race rush towards the finishing line with no purpose, no meaning, and in complete exhaustion.

We were intended to live out 2009 differently, not in the discourse of sarcasm, lack and bitterness, but in the construct of faith, hope and love. I’m not sure predictions or goal-setting can stop the tidal wave of adversity against our society. Perhaps we should consider to swap goals for role models. Oh yes…this is my New Year’s resolution for 2009 – to be a role model instead of trying to carve out slices of personal power from the pie of life.

Cherise and I wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Historical accounts substantiate the birth of Christ and a hope for an eternal future. Although we celebrate our Savior’s birth, we might not think that we see Jesus in the human form today. But I want you to consider this…“To see God is to be changed by Him” (Piper, 2000). And for those in which Christ dwells, you can really see the living and powerful reality of Christ at work. In essence, if you abide in Christ and He abides in you, then you represent His actual Body. So let’s celebrate this Christmas season with a renewed hope for good things to come…

Have you ever seen a person who lives in chronic pain or who has dealt with overwhelming adversity – but still has a sense of peace and calmness about their countenance? It is marvelous to see.

I think it is something that I desire even more than riches because it is such a strong testament about resiliency and inner peace. To me, this represents the adorning grace of God in someone’s life. I enjoy spending time with people like this. In fact, it is almost contagious to be around their optimistic enthusiasm because it draws me inward, inspiring me to thank God for my circumstances, whether good or bad.

When asked by one of my patrons to describe myself, simply, I am one of those people who seek to live a full life in spite of chronic pain. I guess you could say that I am outcome-oriented and shy away from self-pity. Like everyone else, I want people to see the hidden value for who I am and not to judge me on my intermittent failure to properly cope with either physical or emotional pain.

In closing, I hope someday that I am worthy to exhibit an above average countenance of peace and serenity regardless of the horrendous contradictions of life. Do you feel similarly as me?

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called…” (Colossians 3:15, NASB).

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Although Christmas 2008 carries several meanings, I’ve decided to share just one aspect, which specifically deals with forgiveness .

In reality, the manger birth of Christ symbolizes humility and forgiveness wrapped into swaddling clothes on a cold, but holy night about two thousand years ago; all the while, providing the hope of reconciling all things unto God. And this brings me to my point. This season can be about forgiveness for you. Oftentimes, the core of our pains are due to unresolved conflicts that we directly have with others. As a result, we tend to hide within the lies of our own hearts and also, within the false imaginations of our minds. Isn’t it time to break free from these unhealthy chains?

To forgive somebody is to say in one way or another…You have done something unspeakable, and by all rights I should call it quits between us. Both my pride and principles demand no less. However, although I make no guarantee that I will be able to forget what you’ve done, and though we may carry the scars for life, I refuse to let it stand between us. I still want you for my friend. I can only say this because of the forgiveness that Christ has given me. “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Matthew 6:14, NIV).

Merry Christmas!

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When God asks us to put on the New Self, He does so expecting us to disregard the stuff of our old nature. And I believe that one of the loudest voices of our old nature deals with the topic of perfection.

Our old nature constantly tempts us to strive for perfection. Following the heartbeat of excellence and mistake-free living feels like an impossible feat, bringing one from a reasonable way of life into the sanitary hallways of an insane asylum. It frankly cannot be done.

And when we obey the inner voice of the old nature it corrodes our mindset in Christ. In fact, it literally pushes us away from participating in the messy things of life, as Christ did so often during His ministry on Earth.

Please do not confuse perfection with goodness. These are entirely different.

• The former builds up pride and embellishes accomplishment. While the latter depends upon humility and cultivates love, not just inwardly for man in his quest for the meaning of life, but outwardly in his purpose as it richly touches the lives of others.
• The old nature wants to claim the glory. The New Self doesn’t even attempt to share the glory with God, knowing it fully belongs to Him.
• The old nature thinks of itself as wise. The New Self thinks of itself as a child, learning to navigate eternally by the footsteps of faith…

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Q: What is the meaning of life?

A: Oh yes, the meaning of life? Can man and man alone solve such a puzzling question? Does he require religion in the hunt for an adequate answer?

When man, referencing those who have higher intellect and superior philosophical insight, try to find the answer to this spell-bounding question, his or her journey becomes worthless the moment he or she begins to probe if God is not somehow a part of the discovery.

For life is not something that can be figured out exactly on the merits of finite thinking. We see this plainly between the evolutionists and the creationists. Instead of fossil records and molecular biology proving what evolutionists sternly predict as the absolute answers to existence and life, further technological and cellular evidence concludes something entirely different. The debate between the two about the origins and meaning of life could last forever without any resolve.

Thomas Merton states, “To find meaning we must die to meaning as we know it.” We must die to the predictability of our own minds. Man on his own effort, regardless of his intellectual arrogance, cannot fully grasp or predict every timeless and unsearchable question about the universe or of life in itself. In essence, the true meaning of life has to be revealed to us somehow. And it is given to us through God.

Man lacks this ability to create life and to sustain it or to answer one of its most baffling questions, “What is the meaning of life.” These areas must be addressed by the One who creates and gives, and ultimately answers. “It is He (God) who reveals the profound and hidden things…” (Daniel 2:22a, NASB).

I think that you will discover the meaning of life when you look outside yourself or beyond the greatest minds in human history, and instead, direct your curiosity into the infinite thoughts of God. As I have learned, the meaning of life is a journey into the wondrous mysteries of God through the knowledge and salvation of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Keep me on your favorites.  Please click onto www.gordonselley.com for more information about living with chronic pain, as well as spiritual healing.

When people discover that I personally live with chronic pain, a number of questions, mostly derived from curiosity, are usually unleashed. Although people try to do anything to avoid pain, their fascination still peers through a small opening into the blackened areas of suffering.

It’s kind of a “love-hate” relationship for many. They want nothing to do with pain, yet on the other hand, they seem drawn to its darkened allure. Often asked, “What is it like to live in chronic pain?” My response is as so. If I compared pain with vision, it is like living with vinegar sprayed directly into my eye. It seems like my vision never really clears up, and because I’ve developed other senses to navigate through the pathways of life, I have found that my vision about real life is more clear now than compared to when I was actually pain-free physically.

And for me, pain has been a thorn in the flesh, allowing me to accept the “dying to self” process in exchange for spiritual vision and enlightenment. Pain never really gives up its quest to further deteriorate the quality of life. It is like a chemical trying to contaminate the water supply. This is why the Word of God has been so tremendously beneficial for me – because the truth of the Word has purified my entire soul (mind, emotions and will) for an ongoing purpose of living. A new water supply flows deep within me.

As I live in a form of weakness, my needs are easy to detect. If the thorn of pain is never removed from me, I am still content only if I can nurse myself on the living Word of God. The bitterness of vinegar no longer lingers as my primary response to things. I know if you are living with chronic pain, you’ll experience similar aspects of transformation when allowing God to help you to develop other spiritual senses.

Keep me on your favorites.  Please click onto www.gordonselley.com for more information about living with chronic pain, as well as spiritual healing.

Besides the atonement for sin, we know that Jesus also came to make the lame man walk and the blind man to see. Then why do we not see very many miracles of healing today?

Sure we hear plenty of extraordinary stories, but are we hearing things that might be extra-biblical or perhaps suited to one’s own interpretation of what a miracle is?

There are some Christian denominations that believe that the healing gifts are inoperative today. Personally I do not ascribe to this particular belief. When I practiced as a chiropractor, I saw several people healed from organic, pathologic conditions that could only be explained as an intervention by God. I believe that Jesus Christ only healed people from diseases based upon the promptings from God the Father. He didn’t do things on his own personal volition. Isn’t this really the prescription for successful healing? In which God truly operates as the Great Physician over everything, bringing us into One with an intimate purpose for His glory.

But back to healing…Not to diminish the wonder of God, I ask another question. How does the blind man see when he still remains physically blind? The blind man that can see, who still remains blind, is one who has keenly developed his other senses to a point in which he can clearly navigate with little to no assistance. For instance, he’ll probably develop astute hearing, as well as punctuated smelling, as well as discerning his perceptions regarding depth and distance in order to move from one place to the next. An inherent understanding is learned within.

Similarly, the Christian who feels broken, painful and faithless must do the same thing when developing spiritual senses to compensate for apparent weaknesses from chronic wounds. He or she must be willing to refrain from being healed on his or her own terms, and simply connect with God, to discover His promptings for his or her life. This is when successful healing occurs. It cringes at self-promotion or societal comparisons. It focuses one thing, doing the one thing that the Father desires.

Simply, successful healing either provides complete cures for the body, including physical, mental and emotional, or it helps an individual to develop that innate, spiritual sense about redemption. Regardless, this is the place where truly healing occurs.

When contemplating over the concept of healing, I encourage you to realize that true healing first begins spiritually rather than physically. When one is spiritually healed from sin, he can navigate through this life on earth with an eternal perspective. And likewise, if he is not healed physically, then he can develop his other senses toward God, specifically related to connectedness and purpose.

Keep me on your favorites.  Please click onto www.gordonselley.com for more information about living with chronic pain, as well as spiritual healing.

Q: Do you think that sin causes pain? Or that God keeps us in our pain to teach us lessons?

A: I’ll try to keep my answer short.

Sin is integral to both pain and healing. For instance, we know – “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live in righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24, ESV). This verse literally mimics (Isaiah 53) and is quite often misinterpreted by those who ascribe to faith healing. The context of (Isaiah 53) as well as the past tense “were healed” here implies spiritual healing from the fatal effects of sin rather than healing from present physical afflictions. Peter used healing as a metaphor for spiritual conversion. The causation of pain from this fallen world is blemished by sin. Simply, I think we overlook the consequences of sin in our churches today.

Please do not misinterpret what I am saying. None of us, not one of us, is void of sin while still living on this Earth. We will not see absolute glory until our spirits are absent from our bodies. But while we inhabit this Earth, and claim a believing faith in Jesus Christ, we have been given His healing power over sin. This resurrection power lies as an imperishable seed within us, growing us in sanctification each day. Are some completely healed miraculously? Yes, but regardless, all healing comes through our perfect God, who dispenses the remedial action of His will. Is God trying to heal us of our physical calamities upon our immediate requests? Frankly, I do not see evidence of this with the masses. In fact, nearly 90 million people in the United States right now experience some form of chronic pain. Instantaneous miraculous healing isn’t the norm. Pain can be wonderful teacher during our sanctification. I have certainly experienced this, as I’ve literally sown a seed about healing in view of righteousness. By faith, this is pulling me out of the pit of despair. In fact, Christ Himself in obedience was perfected through suffering.

Please refer to my written blogs dated November 8th and November 21st, respectively. I have penned some thoughts about healing and suffering as well as miracles. Perhaps these journal entries might provide additional information about your walk through fiery trials.

Keep me on your favorites.  Please click onto www.gordonselley.com for more information about living with chronic pain, as well as spiritual healing.

Excerpt from L. B. Cowman…I certainly share her sentiments about victory amidst sorrow.

“Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

The question is often asked, “Why is human life drenched in so much blood and soaked with so many tears?” The answer is found in the word “achieving,” for these “momentary troubles are achieving for us” something very precious. They are teaching us not only the way to victory but, better still, the law of victory – there is a reward for every sorrow, and the sorrow itself produces the reward…Joy sometimes needs pain to give it birth.

Keep me on your favorites.  Please click onto www.gordonselley.com for more information about living with chronic pain, as well as spiritual healing.