“And every single road I take leads right back to this place – only Jesus for my pain.” – Lyrics to the song Only Jesus for My Pain by Cory Asbury

“He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed to the point of death.  Stay here and keep watch with me.” – Jesus speaking in the Garden of Gethsemane as told in Matthew 26: 37-38 NIV

Katherine Applegate said it best: “Pain is life and life is pain.”  If you’re alive, pain inevitably becomes a part of your existence.  None of us can avoid it.  Even our Savior experienced it to a level within his soul that felt like death.  Think about experiencing pain so intensely that your sweat becomes drops of blood falling from your head (Luke 22:44).    

Anytime we feel emotional pain deep within our soul, we can take great comfort in knowing our Lord understands that kind of pain very well.  Think about a pain so overwhelming that thoughts of death seemed to be the only thing that might ease it and make it go away.  Many people face this kind of pain and end up succumbing to it.

We all deal with the pain in our lives differently.  Lately, I seem to be running from mine.  When the hurt gets too much to bear, I run from the circumstances that create it – trying desperately to hide myself from it and others.  I’ve let the pain of the past get in the way of living a good life now.  I’ve recently read a quote that said, “If you never heal from what hurt you, you’ll end up bleeding on people who didn’t cut you.”  I’ve been doing that, and so in my pain, I run away to avoid the constant dripping and mess my wounds create in the lives of those I love.

Others try to drench their sorrows in alcohol and drugs – numbing the pain momentarily until the effects wear off.  Some seek pleasure as they just want to feel good, even if it’s temporary, to claim a brief respite from the suffering.  We watch fantasy movies or play video games to avoid reality – anything to make the pain lessen for a time.

But the thing is my friend, it always comes back.  Like Cory Asbury writes in his song above, “I must have tried ‘most everything, it ended all the same.   For good and bad, I realized – only Jesus for my pain.  Designer jeans and pretty things in the end, they fade.  It took the dust to realize – only Jesus for my pain.”

There is something very transforming about coming to our Lord with our pain.  I’ve found that in His presence, only He can ease it.  I gather all kinds of strength in knowing He, in His sovereignty, has allowed it for good purposes in my life.  He is in control of it and its intensity.  Through His love and grace, I make it through my pain by letting Him carry it through the day for me.  Because of Jesus, only Jesus, we know that our pain and suffering in this life is only temporary.

“And every time I tried to run, His kindness called my name.  You’d think that I’d have learned by now – only Jesus for my pain.” – Cory Asbury

If you’re hurting like me this morning, listen to this song and turn to the only Savior who can bring peace back into your life my friend 😊 

God bless!