Old Pain

I am flying home right now from the amazing women’s conference I spoke at called Hearts at Home. I spent the weekend with almost 5 thousand women who were learning new ways of walking out life as a mom.

I noticed something interesting.

Old pain looks different then new pain.

Many mom’s events I speak to are full of fresh earnest somewhat fearful moms. They want to do it all right…they want the steps to raising a great child and having a happy marriage. They expect if they do all the right stuff…they will be successful.

I remember that place.

But this weekend was different. Not only were there thousands of young amazing moms there were thousands of mom’s that had done all that…and found life and motherhood wanting. Their marriages were hurting, their kids weren’t performing and they weren’t settling for easy answers to complicated realities.

They had old pain.

I wanted to sit with these women for hours…talking about true life, the disappointments that naturally befall all of us and learning to walk with a limp. They had wisdom born from the pain. They were still pressing on and had a depth and awareness that was incredibly beautiful.

They are my favorite kind of women…broken women with old pain.

And here is the deal. As one woman told me, “There are basically two choices I have. To live fully in my pain and trust God for my unmet needs…or become bitter controlling and stuck. Quite frankly I choose to walk with a limp.”

How on earth did this woman get to such a lifegiving place?  I believe the key was in her words “To live fully in my pain.” That means not running away, not blaming, not defecting, not pretending. It means living with courage that God will actually show up, that He sees us daily and He has a beautiful plan to make us more like Him.

Do you have some old pain? Let it produce hope in you my friend. Old pain in the hands of a great God can produce untold beauty.

Remember...God sees you.

So we glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Romans 5:3-6 

 

 

 

Comments

[susan]

Amen Tammy,This is powerful message. Thanks for sharing and caring about women with old pain,they surely need the love of Jesus like never before.

[Tammy]

Thank you Susan...I am one of these women with old pain...Thank God He sees us!

[Lynn]

Thank you Tammy! I was one of the woman at the conference. I went to both of your workshops and loved them! I also walk with a lot of Old Pain.
I literally walk with a limp many days because I carry the weight of the "old pain" on my shoulders. Chronic Pain has been a way of life for a couple of years, but the pain in my heart hurts worse. I went from a mountain-top experience with God a few years ago to a very deep, dark pit. I was convinced that God didn't see me anymore. Thank you for reminding me that He does see me. I made a decision on my way home from the conference to stop being bitter at God and start trusting him again with my life. Thank you for telling me that He does see me. I needed to hear that.

[Tammy]

Oh Lynn thank you so much for your words of life...He does see you...what a relief! Blessings...