Promise Over Pain

Mama, it hurts,” my daughter said. We may need to go get an X-ray, sweetie. “No! Then I won’t be able to dance or do any stunts on Friday!” She cried. Those beautiful blue eyes staring into mine so disappointed and in pain. She had broken her right arm which meant at least 6 weeks in a cast. That was her whole summer: no swimming, no birthday party at the lake, no gymnastics classes, and no finishing cheer camp. Her heart was broken more than her arm and she sat crying in the pain of it all. “Mama, Why would God let this happen to me? He knows it’s my birthday. He knows how much I love gymnastics. I don’t understand,” she hugged me, tears falling down. I said, “I’m so sorry. I know this must feel really hard right now, but I will be right here the whole time to help you through this and so will God. In 6 weeks, your arm will be healed so we have to be careful with it now so the healing doesn’t take longer. I promise this won’t be forever. I love you. We will get through this together."

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)

I knew this promise well, but my daughter had to experience pain to fully believe in it. When we go through adversity, our focus tends to veer more towards the pain than the promise. We feel the pain deeply and it screams for all of our attention. Calmly and quietly, our Father holds us and carries us through the storm. The pain makes us feel like He must have forgotten us, but His promise remains.

“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

My daughter was blessed to be in a waterproof cast for 5 weeks. She still got to have her birthday party at the lake and swim this summer! Her cast is off now and she is healed. I asked her what she learned from having to wear a cast this summer. My ten year old said, “I learned to be more patient with myself and others.” Sometimes you have to wait through the pain for the promise.