megaphone – KARLA LEES

I woke up this morning to my worst overall pain day in a long while.

I am not going to tell you exactly what hurts, because I had a revelation about pain earlier today I need to share.

I have spent too much of my life listening to pain’s voice speak louder than God’s voice.

NO. MORE.

I am standing on my belief that God is more than enough to get me through whatever is paining me whether physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually.

I am taking the megaphone away from pain and handing it back to God:

the Song who wants to sing His strength into me.

The Love who wants to pour His heart into mine.

The Peace who wants to bring solace to my spirit.

The Truth who will never leave me or forsake me, who is always with me, and eternally keeps His promises.

The Living Water who wants to splash His Presence over my pain, until He is the focus of all I can see, hear & sense.

The Eternal One who will never fail, whose goodness abounds from everlasting to everlasting!

Recently, God gave me the revelation that when I am able to abandon myself before Him in worship, my pain ebbs away, and often completely disappears in His Presence.

If pain ebbs or goes in His Presence, then I intend on keeping myself close to Him.

Not just because I feel better, but because He wants to take away my pain.

Jesus went to the cross not only for all sin & shame, but pain, infirmity & illness.

He reigns over all of it, this amazing loving awe-striking Saviour, who came to meet ALL our needs…

I choose to listen to the One who is for me, over the voice of the one who tries to tear me down.

Now is the day to tune in to His voice first, making it the loudest voice you hear each day.

All of heaven resounds with His voice…and as I align myself with His best for me (hearing Him first) I believe, I know my pain will be put in its rightful place by my Maker, Saviour, Healer & King!

I believe You’re my Healer,
I believe You are all I need.
I believe You’re my portion,
I believe You’re more than enough for me, Jesus You’re all I need!
-Kari Jobe, Healer

We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.

–C.S.Lewis, the Problem with Pain

Pain has become an almost constant companion to be over the past several years. Not the occasional accidentally whacked myself on the bedside in the middle of the night, or tripped over a Barbie head on the living room floor (yes, I confess, done those!)
but the consistent cry of my joints in pain.

I am currently having some sort of arthritis like flare hitting my hands and feet right now, in particular three fingers on my left hand.

As someone who uses her hands for a living, and who loves to crochet, this has not only impacted my physical daily life & livelihood…it has tried to invade mentally, emotionally & spiritually.

Not being able to easily do things I used to take for granted, like opening ziploc bags. Leaves me mentally frustrated.

Too many of those kind of incidents, or not taking enough time to rest between tasks leaves me feeling useless and low.

Not understanding why this is happening, or why it randomly flares out of control when it does leaves my faith shaken in a storm of emotions.

That’s how I look at my pain from my point of view.

God however doesn’t look at things quite the same way, does He?

I went downstairs this afternoon to hang some laundry, and prayed as I do so. Bearing my heart to God, I bluntly told Him that I didn’t know why this was happening, but I believe He wants the best for me, and in order for me to make it through, I need to know He is with ne in my pain, right where I am at. I need Him to tangibly show me.

A sense of peace washed over me, and I knew in my spirit, He heard me, He is with me, and He is for me.

I don’t know any more than you do what tomorrow will bring.

I do know that my God is present, in my here and now. I am not alone in my pain. I have asked Him to heal me, and when I worship the pain tends to lessen, so I am pressing in believing for a miracle.

But the greater miracle to me?

Having God with me each moment. Every single now that I have.

For He says,

I am more than enough for what you are going through:

I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.

-Philippians 4:13

He is worth my trust & praise:

The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him.

-Psalm 28:7

Despite my pain, I will continue to give Him praise.

He has always been on my side through thick or him, and always will be. He reminds me that my pain is important because it bothers me, and what bothers me, bothers Him. Because He loves me so much, He even knows each hair on my head, and collects each tear I cry!

Pain may be wanting to be heard above all, but first and foremost God hears my heart.

I need to remember to keep it in its place as a temporary part of me and limit how it tries to affect my whole person.

I want my voice to be known heard shouting His praise, not giving undue voice to my pain.

God takes me beyond beyond, to quote Priscilla Shirer. He blesses us beyond what we can hope or imagine, for He is so big & beyond what we can even comprehend, He is beyond beyond!

I am pressing in & claiming verses like the one below on the days where I need to put pain in its place:

May He take you beyond beyond in whatever you are facing today too. All things are possible in Him!

Tag: megaphone

when the pain cries out to be heard

beyond beyond