Photo Credit: apdk, Creative Commons
Today’s post is by Lauren Hardy, a fun, vivacious and go-getter of a student at Ball State University where she is Managing Editor of her school paper. Connect with Lauren on her website, or on Twitter.
Three years ago, I started getting headaches. Not “oh these are annoying” headaches, but “I feel like curling up into a ball and crying all day” headaches. Gradually their intensity increased, and I started getting them more frequently. About a year ago, I would wake up with one every day.
I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to be on medicine, but I knew something was very wrong.
I prayed for God to take the pain away.
Then one morning, I woke up with an even greater pain. Groaning as I sat up in bed, I realized I couldn’t open my mouth. It felt like someone had screwed my jaw shut, then banged them together some more for good measure.
Turns out, I had clenched my teeth so hard in my sleep that I had traumatized my TMJ, the joint that connects the lower jaw to the temporal bone of the skull.
For a week, I could barely open my mouth by even an inch.
Two months later, and the tightness still remained. Coupled with my headaches and an onslaught of neck and back pain, I couldn’t manage to complete even some of the most normal tasks.
I became grouchy, irritated, whiny, even apathetic.
I let the pain have its way and take me over. Some days, I just stayed in bed. Underneath the covers, I let my eyes glaze over in an attempt to feel numb. I started feeling sorry for myself.
All I could think was, why, God? Why me?
There are so many times we can ask ourselves these question. Why me? Why this? Why now? I still struggle with these questions.
Even now as I write this post, I have a migraine and my jaw and neck feel like they’ve been hit with a baseball bat. If I let myself, it’s easy to use my pain as an excuse and live as if I’m just trying to make it through the day.
It wasn’t until recently that I discovered that pain doesn’t have to call the shots.
Pain of any kind — whether it’s physical, emotional, or both — can be worked through.
There are good days and then there are bad days, but over time the pain can be managed and even overcome. The key is learning to see both the good and the bad days as a blessing and move forward from there. We have to trust that God will never give us more than what we can handle.
This is no simple task.
It’s much easier to feel sorry for painful circumstances than to think positively in spite of them.
What’s important is that we don’t let pain define us, or keep us from living.
What is the pain you live with? Is it keeping you from enjoying your life? To reply, click HERE.
————
Lauren and I swapped posts today, so to read about what to do When Your Parents Don’t Approve, head over to her site!
Hello, readers. I am the person who is guest-post swapping with Ally today.
My site is currently down, and the links are corrupted. I am waiting to hear back from the service I host through to see what the problem is. Until then, you can still read Ally’s post on my main page, you just can’t click on the link, and everything from the past two weeks is gone.
Thank you,
Lauren
My site is back up! Check out Allison’s post at: http://laurenhardy.com/when-your-parents-dont-approve-2/.
Lauren,
I am praying for you at this very moment. I read this and thought of my daughter and how if she was going through this I would be relentless to help her in anyway I could. I know prayer is the most powerful gift we can give someone no matter what the source of their pain. I am praying healing over you. I know you will love Jesus and serve Him regardless but I am still asking for HIm to reveal the root of this and in His kindness heal what needs to be healed.
Kandace,
Yes, God alone is our healer! So many times we forget that — we forget that we can and should pray for healing. Thank you for your kinds words!
Lauren
I completely relate to you. I’ve been struggling through some health issues, including headaches, for three years now. There have been days where I can’t leave my bed. I’ve asked many times, “Why God?”
But it’s been in these times I’ve drawn closer to Him than ever before. Keep going girl!
Lauren, I can relate. During my time at BSU (yes, chirp, chirp), I also developed migraines. (Maybe there is something in the Muncie water) I had and continue to have some of the same thoughts you described. But I love your conclusions on the matter.
Hi Kandace,
You are in my prayers! The positive tone with which you are handling the pain is inspiring. Is there a specific cause for your pain or are doctors able to give you any explanation why?
Adeline,
Doctors have put me on amitriptyline, but its effectiveness has worn off over time. As for an explanation, we aren’t sure. I have very loose joints, and this causes my muscles and bones to move around more than they should. Other than that, no specific cause has been located.
Sometimes, there aren’t answers. But God is faithful!
Lauren
Yes he is! Praying for your continued strength and peace!
Hi Lauren!
Since 2011 I suffer from vertigo. I have done several medical examinations but there was nothing special to notice.
Also I had problems with my ears and one of them was closed for a few days. Last Sunday at church I asked the Lord to heal my ears completely. Not tomorrow, next week or some day, but TODAY. By the end of the service my ear was opened and I didn’t feel any discomfort more with my ears. So I trust the Lord for greater things!
I can really understand the part of: “I let the pain have its way and take me over. Some days, I just stayed in bed. Underneath the covers, I let my eyes glaze over in an attempt to feel numb. I started feeling sorry for myself.” At some point I let self pity take over, and have definitely use dizziness as an excuse for not doing what I needed to do. Yes, at some point I was really sick and could do nothing. But as the days go by as you said, “There are good days and then there are bad days, but over time the pain can be managed and even overcome.”, I had to learn how the handle each day and don’t just sit down and do nothing. No more self pity. I trust the Lord even more for my complete healing. Not just affirming that He can heal but really believing that. I declare everyday over my life that “by the stripes of Jesus I am healed”.
And since last week I am feeling so much better! At least 2 different people told me that I looked sooo good and less suffering/stressful!
God Bless you and don’t give up!
Rina,
I am so happy to hear that you are recovering! God doesn’t want us to pity ourselves, but turn to him in our times of need.
Lauren
The kind of pain I am living with is knowing I have struggled for so long to get my bachelors degree,and believing that I can only be successful with one.Other than science I love to write,speak publicly and organise events….but I dont know how to channel these into a career that I love.I feel God calling me to leave this behind,but I dont know how.
I am also dealing with this. I am a senior in college and I want to finish really bad, but, I am feeling that God is telling me that he wants me to draw closer to him instead and that the best educational endeavor for me at this time is to pursue more knowledge about our savior Jesus Christ and our Lord and Father Jehovah God. I am praying for more wisdom and knowledge. I hope this helps!
LC
This is such a nicely written, poignant article. Thank you! I have family members who suffer from debilitating migraines — I can’t even imagine what it must be like. But I do know what it’s like to use the hard circumstances God gives us — whether physical pain or emotional grief — and use them as excuses and reasons to give up. Thank you for your encouragement.
By the way — have you ever tried going to a chiropractor? Maybe it’s a long shot but in my experience they’re able to do some marvellous things for headache-prone people.
Hi Suzanne,
Thank you for your kind words! I think its easier for us to use hard situations as excuses as opposed to overcoming them. But self-pity can be a debilitating feeling.
I have visited a chiropractor, and though it helped, as a college student, I can’t really afford to go. Lickily yoga and massages help.
Lauren