Lies are tricky things.
They’re often disguised to us as truths or half-truths. Other times, they can be easy to call out as false.
Some of the most sneaky lies I’ve seen myself believe recently all had one miserable catalyst … pain.
When our feelings and emotions take a front row seat, lies rejoice.
Pain has been a part of my daily life as I fight through a pain disorder that causes my nerves to feel unnecessary pain.
I’d love to tell you that this situation has only grown me in my walk with my Jesus. I’d love to tell you that I always trust Him, and never put relief from pain first on my list of priorities.
Pain is hard, and God only knows how much I’ve doubted Him during this season of my life.
Pain has drastically changed my life.
And as the changes came, the lies slowly crept into my brain and heart. I was so focused on the pain, that I started to believe them. These lies crushed my spirit and stole my joy.
1. “I am alone.”
Days drifted into weeks as I laid in bed in pain. I missed many days of church activities and the piano lessons I so dearly loved. I was never truly physically alone, thanks to my kind and compassionate family.
Yet as I missed event after event, my soul started to long for community.
I began doubting whether I would ever feel up to all the activities I used to do. I began to fear being alone very much.
All the while, I was completely bypassing God’s beautiful gift of community through His church. More than the services I was missing, I was still a living breathing part of His family.
While I fretted missing out, what I truly missed was the opportunity to be grateful for the friends who have visited me in my pain, and the people who have supported me tirelessly. I missed the opportunity to be grateful for the promise that Jesus is always with me, and I am never ever alone. (Hebrews 13:5, Psalm 86:7, 145:18, 2 Corinthians 1:4)
2. “No one understands me.”
Pain is generally isolating.
After being asked what felt like a billion times, “how do you rate your pain on a scale of one to ten,” I began to resent the question greatly. To think that someone wanted me to assign something as unfeeling as a number to my pain made me feel misunderstood.
The whole idea of an “invisible illness” such as my own lends itself to great misunderstandings. Smiles hide a lot, including pain.
I began to throw one giant pity party, and I was sure that no one could ever understand how I feel.
I was forgetting the fact that my Savior walked this very earth, and felt pain unimaginable on Calvary. To attempt to compare any pain to His would be foolish.
The truth is that Jesus knows what I’m going through when I’m tempted to sin and when I’m suffering (Hebrews 2:18, 4:15)
He’s also given me some wonderful, empathetic people fighting similar battles to encourage my heart.
3. “I can’t do hard things.”
I finally did it. I reached my summit out of breath and tired… and all I had done was go up a flight of stairs.
Things that I once took for granted, such as eating, sleeping, or showering suddenly became often difficult activities. My body needed so much sleep that I was hardly awake sometimes. It was during these roughest days when I began to believe that my days of doing hard things were over.
I realized though that “hard” is a relative term. My capacity to do physical activities may have gone down, but my capacity to honor the King of Kings is constant. As long as I can glorify God, I can do hard things.
Everyone’s perspective of what hard things are will vary according to circumstances.
One of my most recent hard things has been struggling through physical therapy. Doing workouts that many people can do ten times over cause me great pain and fatigue. it’s still a hard thing, for me.
Doing hard things is not about a measurable quantity of “hard” or “big.” Doing hard things is a mindset that takes on any challenge, big or seemingly insignificant, and says: “I will do my best at this thing, regardless of expectations, so that God may be glorified in my life.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
4. “I can’t have joy when I’m in pain.”
The idea of being “pain free” looms in front of me as some sort of utopia. The more days I spent in pain, the more my sinful heart began idolizing the idea of my pain going away. I wanted it more than anything. Sometimes I still do.
I started to gauge my joy, along with my other more superficial emotions based on my pain levels, instead of truth. I began to question where my joy was seated… in my feelings or in Jesus?
The truth is that no pain on this earth can take away the joy and peace Jesus Christ died to give me.
The truth is that the pain He allows in my life is never without a purpose.
His joy–His incredibly fulfilling and indestructible joy–is my strength. (1 Thessalonians 2:20, Psalm 118:14, 126:5)
He is still good.
It’s a daily (and sometimes moment by moment) struggle for me to fight for truth, but truth is always worth fighting for.
We must continually preach truth to our fallible human hearts. Allowing lies to fester there will only bring more pain and heartache.
What lies have you seen yourself believing?
Are you ready to take those lies and filter them through God’s radical promises?
Friend, will you walk with me in this fight for truth?
“For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” (Psalms 100:5)
Share Your Thoughts in the Comment Section!
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wow. Alathia, thanks so much for writing this article. it shows how pain can take over our lives with the lies Satan is planting in our minds.
You’re very welcome, Alexis. Thank you for reading 🙂
This is good. My pain isn’t the same as yours, but this all aplies. Thank you!
mine isn’t either, but it’s a good example. 🙂
Yeah, I think that a lot of times people go through similar heart-level struggles, even though our specific trials are different. I really love the fight for truth in this article because, honestly, I really need it.
so true.
^^^this
Thank you for reading 🙂
This was beautiful, Alathia. I really struggled with these lies earlier this year when my health took an unexpected dive, and the lies really messed me up until God worked in my heart about it, and changed my perspective on things. Great article, thanks for writing!
Glad it could encourage you, Emma. Thanks for reading 🙂
Wow this was so beautiful! Thank you for writing this piece! My greatest strength and my greatest weakness is people. I love people too much. God is enough though! He is truly all we need. What can man do to us? Kill us? That is nothing because we have already died to Christ! And he has given us new life to live for him. God is so good! Great perspective 🙂
Amen, Emma. God is SO good. Thank you for reading!
Amazing. This piece was breathtaking. It described what I went through this past school year (physically, mentally, and spiritually), and what God, my family, and friends have taught me to deal with and grow from.
Satan’s lies will not win. God’s truth wins over all, no matter what our feelings are. We must walk daily in the Lord’s presence, as He is our Source of strength and truth in the difficult circumstances. God bless you, Alathia!
So sorry to hear about your struggles, Maria. Hopefully I was able to encourage you a bit 🙂 Keep walking with Him!!
Thank you, sister! You’re an incredible writer, by the way!
Thank you, Maria. That’s kind of you 🙂
You’re very welcome!
I will 🙂 Thank you sister!
Alathia, I’m so very sorry to hear about your struggles. Please know you are not alone. I’ve recently gotten to know more and more Christian young people struggling with different forms of chronic illness and health struggles over the past few months, myself included, though I can hardly compare my pain to what it sounds like you’ve gone through. Thank you for seeking Jesus through this, and for encouraging us by your faithfulness. I pray the Lord heals you, and uses you for even greater things!
I have had the privilege of being acquainted with many young Christians suffering with chronic illnesses since I’ve been struggling, and it took my by great surprise just how many of us there were! Thank you for your sweet words and encouragement, Sara. God bless you in your journey. 🙂
Thank you for this Alathia! I have TMJ and have had headaches almost everyday for the past year and a half, sometimes the pain is unbearable. My pain is most definitely not your pain, but this article helped me finally see the lies that Satan tells me. Thanks again, and I am sorry to hear about your struggles.
https://thenarrowroadforteens.wordpress.com/
So sorry to hear about your pain, Bekah. 🙁 I hope was able to provide you with a little encouragement. 🙂
Oh, believe me, you did! 😊
Satan is so deceptive and so convincing. It’s really easy to give up hope, but God wants us to hold onto Him! 🙂 God bless, Alathia!
https://tizziestidbits.wordpress.com
Thanks for reading, Grace!
Wow, this was a very eye-opening article, Alathia! Thanks so much for writing this. This can apply on so many levels – not just to physical pain but also emotional pain. I’m sorry for the struggles you go through every day but I know God has a plan and purpose for everything that He allows in our lives. Thanks again!
This absolutely applies to more than just physical pain for me as well… I’m glad you were able to find it helpful. Thank you for your encouragement, Ashley:)
I want to cry now! I had literally just texted a friend, asking her to remind me that my physical and mental illness struggles would end, and then I spontaneously opened up the Rebelution, trying to refocus my attention from my discouragement to something else. And I saw your article. It is so encouraging, and what I needed to hear right now. I’m so sorry that you have to deal with some of the same things I do, but I’m also so encouraged to hear that I’m not alone in this particular fight. 🙂 Thank you so much for writing!
Sara, I’m so so glad that God used this peice to encourage your heart. God bless, sister.
Wow, this is so encouraging, Alathia!
“When our feelings and emotions take a front row seat, lies rejoice.” “My capacity to do physical activities may have gone down, but my capacity to honor the King of Kings is constant. As long as I can glorify God, I can do hard things.It puts everything into perspective.” ” ‘I will do my best at this thing, regardless of expectations, so that God may be glorified in my life.’ “The key is taking the focus off ourselves and on Christ – which is a struggle for anyone, let alone someone going through such hard times. Thank you for writing this!
https://more-than-a-church-kid.blogspot.com/
Thank YOU for reading!
With my chronic illness, I feel the exact same way often. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome, Hailey. 🙂
Hehehe
Boom. You got it! Really good. I know how hard it was to write, but I can see from reading the comments how many other people you already have encouraged through this. Good work, Allie. <3
Now to keep believing those truths every day. God is with you. And His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Praying for ya.
Thanks for reading and for encouraging me, Joe. You’ve been a huge supporter in my fight for truth and I wouldn’t be where I am without you. <3
This is so deeply encouraging! Thanks for your honesty. Thanks for sharing what God has taught you throughout fierce personal struggles with pain. <3
Love this in particular: "The truth is that no pain on this earth can take away the joy and peace Jesus Christ died to give me. The truth is that the pain He allows in my life is never without a purpose."
I’m so glad it could encourage you. Thank your for reading, Moriah!
Spot on! You are never alone. Jesus does understand. You can do this hard thing and joy can often be best found in the middle of all types of pain. We all need to preach these truths daily to our fragile hearts. Thanks for giving literary thought to these life sustaining truths and for sharing them with all of us. I love you more than words. Mom
Love you, mommy <3
This is amazing Alathia!! Thank you so much for writing this, this really helped me in ways I could not express. <3
Glad it helped <3