In Pain

‘I am tired of posting condolences’. This was the sentiment expressed by a reader on social media recently. You may have had those same thoughts yourself too. My high school family has had it’s fair share of losses over the past year or two. Just this past week we lost an assistant manager to our boys’ football [soccer] team. His untimely death shook our school family and supporters alike. What made it more challenging is this loss occurred just days before the boys were scheduled to play in the finals of one of the nation’s school boy football competition. They had been undefeated all season and now the entire nation and supporters globally were counting on them to show up in all their glory. They did not disappoint!

They showed up, they played , they won – in pain. One can only imagine the emotions that saturated the hearts of these young boys – the tears they cried. They lost a friend, a father, a brother, and a mentor. Life does us like that sometimes. We call it the lot we are dealt. These are moments and seasons in life that challenge us to push through the pain and play the game. We don’t have the luxury of rolling over and quitting. We can’t afford to forfeit the game of life by not showing up. There is a crowd of witnesses cheering us on. They want to see us win. If we fall, one will always be there to lift us up. When the armor gets heavy and the fight is leaving our bodies- armor bearers come along side to help us with the load. We can’t afford to check out, in the pain. Those boys from ‘Blue and Gold Nation’ showed us what it means to ‘fight the good fight’ – in pain. Life often requires us to do the same. This is what champions are made of. The warrior in us rises up when we are hit the hardest. We do it for those gone on and for those who are coming behind.

We don’t do this alone. Those who cover us hurt too – still they show up. We salute you coach, manager, mom, dad, supervisor, leader, minister, sibling, or friend. You who hurt but can’t afford to fall apart. You stand strong because we need you. We know in the silence of your space; you cry, you question and you wonder why. We’ll never forget that you came, you were there – in your pain. You stood with us – in our pain. We live, we learn, we grow together through the pain.

We don’t always have the answers and probably never will. Life, as we know it, never promises us a rose garden without thorns. This I know – we have a faithful Father who wants to do this with us. He has always extended an open arm to whosoever will. We were never meant to be destroyed by life’s struggles. I’ve heard these truths and walked them myself- I leave this with you:

• There’s purpose in the pain
• Depth comes from difficulties
• Tenacity is developed in trials
• Strength makes you stand in the storms

***Thanks for reading – in your pain.