One of God's Tools For Handling Pain

It's been a week and a day since my knee replacement surgery under the able hands of Dr Kuplic of the Orthopedic and Sports Institute of the Fox Valley. Things are going well and my first visit to the physical therapist after the surgery was very encouraging. I am very thankful to the Lord for everything that has taken place leading up to the surgery and whatever may follow. To Him be all praise and glory! Those of you who have undergone any kind of surgery are likely familiar with the “Universal Pain-Assessment Tool” which is used to help diagnose and manage your pain. The nurses constantly use this tool to find out where your pain level is at and then medicate accordingly. 0 = no pain on the scale and 10 = unbearable. I am very thankful that my pain level hovered around the 3 mark (mild on the scale) with an occasional burst to a 5 (moderate pain) when my surgical area was stressed due to physical activity. At the number 3, the patient can do “most activities with rest periods.” But at 5, the patient is “unable to do some activities because of pain.” I am so thankful that God has His own tools for addressing the pain in our own lives. One of those tools is the prayers of other believers. Remember the men who took apart a roof, so they could bring their paralytic friend to Jesus for healing? This man was in no condition to come to Jesus on his own. He was at a 5 or more on the Universal Pain-Assessment Tool, but his friends brought him to the Lord! They interceded on his behalf and “when Jesus saw THEIR faith,” He answered their prayers for healing on his behalf! There were times leading up to my surgery and hospitalization that I was like that paralyzed friend. Immobilized by fear, and sometimes wracked by physical pain I was in no condition to physically pray. To be honest, today was the first time in a long time that I was able to spend some quality time in the Word and talking to my Savior! So I thank those of you who have been praying for me. Those of you who had a tap on the spiritual shoulder to lift me up in prayer! You, by the grace of God, have helped me through a difficult time and may the Lord reward you accordingly! Job 42:10 says, “And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” I have a friend who just came home from the hospital after his own knee replacement surgery and you can be sure I have been praying for him and those times when he gets above 5 on the Universal Pain-Assessment Tool. How about you? Is there anyone in your life now facing some sort of physical, spiritual, or emotional pain that scores higher than a 5 on the scale? You know, that point where they may be unable to “do some activities because of the pain in their lives?” How about taking time today to lift them up to the Lord for His healing touch!