Are you hiding some type of pain in our life? Do you feel time has taken care of it and you no longer have to? Do you feel that since you are spiritual person all pain is forever gone? The presence of spiritual, emotional and/or psychological pain affects every area of life but is often disguised and hiding inside. What happens when we deny, ignore, suppress and repress them?
1. It can be delayed but not denied
The pain associated with the struggle is woven into our very lives. Every painful memory is etched on the pages of our minds, to deny it is to deny who we are.
2. Its not worth it
Refusal to deal with the pain is not worth the effort invested, since it never goes away by denial. It just retreats further inside us and becomes more complex to resolve. It learns to disguise itself under some cleverly laid explanations and excuses. It develops elaborate strategies and schemes to justify its continued existence.
3. It keeps us tied to the past
A life that is tied to the past is like a ship tied up in dry dock but is never launched to do what boats are designed to do that is sail the ocean.
4. It hurts our relationships
Life is lived in relationships, relationships to God, self and others. When we do not engage the pain within it inhibits our ability to give ourselves fully to building meaningful connection with significant others in our lives.
5. It takes away our freedom of choice
Pain so dominates our lives that it takes all our resources to keep it from destroying us completely and in order to retain some semblance of normality we surrender the right to make the choice to be free and happy.
Engaging the pain in our lives is often hard and challenging, but its benefits far outweigh its negatives.
Conroy Reynolds, MS MA is a mental health chaplain and ordained pastor. He is also the author of "Finding God in the Dark." More information is available at: http://www.outskirtspress.com/findinggodinthedark.
Earl G Graves
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