My Painful Introspection

My Painful Introspection.. by Jeff Larson

1.  Pain.. it hurts,
2.  I don't like hurting,
3.  I bruise like a peach, and
4.  If it is said most of the important lessons learned in life are through our failures and our pain.. then I would be OK with skipping a few.

For those of you that know me, aches and pains have been my lifelong complaint.  I have migraines, a bad back, and as get older arthritis is my constant companion. Of course PAIN IS a relative experience, as I know the headaches, and bad back I suffer with are trivial by comparison to what others suffer with.  None the less they are MY pains and THEY DO HURT... and this is MY blog. :)

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But truly, many of the important lessons I have experienced in life have involved pain. It may be dealing with physical pain, being a bear of very little brain (like Winnie the Pooh), or lessons found the other side of (painful) blunders, stumbles, and/or bad choices. Even deeper yet are the lessons may be found in the death of a close friend or family member.

I believe the problem of PAIN IS also the source of the age old question.. If there is a God why does he allow bad things to happen to good people.  This is a good question, but for me I see a 'dangerous beauty' in this broken world. In this land of dangerous beauty God the Creator allows his creation (you & me) the opportunity to persevere and succeed despite brokenness. And.. we are allowed to choose right from wrong in big & small ways, and even good from evil.   There is great danger in choosing poorly, and if we do not persevere.. BUT there is great beauty when we prayerfully choosing well, support each other, persevere, and trust God when bad things happen to good people.

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To believe this is not 'A Crutch for Weak Minded People' as former Pro Wrestler / former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura liked to blurt, but instead Rock Solid Truth for Godly men and women.

May God bless each of you this day with love and support when you are hurting, and may we as believers (His Church) be the love and support for others in this broken world.

Jeff (ibuprofen infused) Larson

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