Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope

Speaker 1

Hi, this is Shawna on Joni eareckson. Tada sharing hope. And, Joni, you just never let chronic pain define you.

Speaker 2

Well, I try not to. But if some friend is listening who's dealing with chronic pain, hey, don't let it define you, either. Whether you're hurting from a bad sprain that never healed, a surgery that went wrong, or a tweaked back from lifting something, you know, sometimes you can't help but think a lot about your pain. You talk about it, you hint at the hard time you're having, or you just back off and shut down emotionally. You don't say anything. You just let pain rule the day. And that is when it ends up defining who you are, and the real you feels like it's been hijacked. You have to admit it scares you. You wonder, how can I live this way? You want your life back.

Now, I usually don't caution people when pain ambushes the day, but chronic pain can hijack your resolve, lead you into deep depression, and even make you question God. That's what happened to me back in the late 1990s, when my scoliosis worsened and I began having constant pain. The doctors suggested putting rods in my back, but my quadriplegic bones were too thin and porous. Now, I didn't get cynical, but I did get depressed. And I did have questions for God, which is odd, because those questions weren't about my paralysis. Back in the 1990s, I had already worked through my quadriplegia, and I was already trusting God with his plan for my wheelchair. But this was something different. This new kind of pain made my paralysis feel like a walk in the park.

And I said, "God, I feel like quadriplegic should be enough of a trial. Me with pressure sores, and I've already got breathing problems, and now I've got to deal with scoliosis pain." Well, I got my answer in First Peter, Chapter 4, where it says, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you. But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing so that also at the revelation of his glory, you may rejoice with exultation."

And with those two verses, God was saying, "Joni, don't be surprised if I give you another trial on top of the other stuff. I send pain your way in order to further refine your faith. Because your faith to me is worth more than gold, and it's going to shine as you trust me with this pain. To the degree that you cooperate with me in this new trial, to that degree, your delight in my Son who suffered will really shine. Your trust in me will make Jesus and His sustaining grace really look good on the day that he's revealed."

Oh dear friend, the God of the Bible is not a celestial ogre out to make your life miserable. Rather, the God of the Bible is so interested in your earthly well-being and eternal welfare that He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to deliver you from a misery far, far more devastating than any botched surgery, migraine headache, degenerative disc disease, tweaked back, or pain from scoliosis. So if you struggle with pain, please remember God's special word to you in First Peter Chapter 4.

And by the way, I shared a beautiful poem earlier this week called "Jesus King of Pain," and I would encourage you to go to joniradio.org to download the poem.

Speaker 1

That's right, Joni.

And friend, while you're on that radio page, ask for your free copy of Dr. John Piper's book called *Shaped by God*. You know, pain can be God's choicest tool in shaping in us the character of Christ.

If you want to learn more, then ask for your gift today at joniradio.org, that's johnnyradio.org.

Speaker 2

God bless you friend.