Rest Is Good - Anita van der Elst

As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good. 2 Thessalonians 3:13 NLTP

They needed to come out, those three wisdom teeth, and I opted for IV sedation for the extraction procedure. The dental care was excellent, and all went well. But I didn’t expect my energy level to be so low in the aftermath. I discovered that rest is good. 

Because of my lack of energy, I canceled my weekly small group gathering at my home. I also missed out on a ballet performance by my daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Additionally, I missed a music recital in which both grandkids and my son participated. 

Disappointing, to say the least. Housework went by the wayside. Since my diet was restricted to soft foods for a whole week, I didn’t cook meals either. I must confess, however, I didn’t mind having frozen yogurt every day.

Around the fifth day after the oral surgery, as I complained to the Lord about how weary I still felt, Paul’s instruction to the folks in Thessalonica came up in my daily reading. 

I realized that by taking care of my body and getting enough rest, I was doing something good. Although I missed serving my dear sisters in Christ in my home, God allowed me extra time to rest and recuperate. He would eventually restore me to full capacity. Yes, I was tired, but not of doing good. 

When you are tired, remember that resting your body is something good that God encourages because He is a good, good Father. 

Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to three of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, exploring the state parks in the PNW, facilitating a small group of women, and participating in a Bible study. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Praising in Pain - Martin Wiles

Welcome to Meandering Monday where we meander back in time to a previously published devotion. 

But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a pagan land? Psalm 137:4 NLT

Pain and praise don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

The moment I chomped down on the delicious bite of food, I knew I was in trouble. A sharp pain seized my jaw on the opposite side of which I chewed. Bouts with TMJ (Temporomandibular joint) aren’t fun, and I didn’t have time for it now. Eating became painful rather than pleasurable. When I had endured all I could stand, I called a local chiropractor in hopes of receiving relief. After two treatments, I enjoyed my meals again.

The psalmist—along with thousands of other exiles—languished in captivity in a foreign land, far away from God’s temple in Jerusalem. Serving foreign rulers proved painful. How could he and the other exiles possibly praise God in such unpleasant circumstances?

Despite its unpleasantness, pain teaches valuable lessons in patience and dependence. Praising in the pain reminds us Christ is our Great Physician. We depend on Him for healing, regardless of whether we visit a physician or not. Ultimately, he is our healer and the One who gives us the strength to endure pain when it is short and long-lived.

Praising in the pain forces us to look to the future. For believers, a bright eternity is promised—one where the pain is absent. The culprit of bodies afflicted by sin is pain, but in heaven bodies free of sin will be souls free of pain.

Praising when in pain maintains a good perspective. God never promised a pain-free life. When we praise despite the pain, we’re reminded He’s in control of the intensity and duration of our misery. Responding to our aches in a godly manner allows us to use our experiences to help others. Our response to pain shows others how God gives us the strength to face, endure, and overcome unpleasant situations in life without adopting bitterness toward God.

Are you praising in your pain?

Prayer: Eternal God, remind us that You are the master of our bodies and will give us the power to praise You even in our pain.

Tweetable: Have you learned to praise in the pain? 

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