God, Please Help Me...

It was very interseting to hear how our Sunday morning worship service message about how pain and worship come together.   I experienced an example of this weekend. 

Last night, lil' K was in a lot of pain.  He was hollering and screaming at the top of his lungs due to discomfort.  Me, being the sometimes unemotional dude, went upstairs to see what was the problem.  I encouraged him (better yet, demanded him) to stop the crying and yelling.  He was trying to let me how much pain he was really in.  I had to change my attitude and get sensitive here.  So I went downstairs and fixed him some food.  As I was doing this, he was still upstairs hollering.  I walk back upstairs, poised this time, only to hear something so soothing.  I peaked through the door and saw him sitting with tears raining from his eyes.  This is what I heard...

"God, please help me.  God, pleeease (sniff) make my pain (sniff) go away.  Pleeeeeaaasse God, make it go (sniff) away.  In Jesus name, Amen."

I...was...done!  He has prayed when in pain before, but for whatever reason, it was special to hear this night.  I prayed with him and put him in the bed, where he fell fast asleep.

He went straight to the bathroom when he woke up.  I thought he would still be in pain.  Yet, a couple of minutes later, I hear this voice of excitement.

"I...feel good!  I...I...feel good!  I...feel good!  I...I...feel good!", he sings. 

A smile came to my face as I knew he was feeling a lot better and relieved.  He even began humming Black or White by the late Michael Jackson.  That was funny.

I learned some valuable lessons from this experience.  For one, I learned that I need to be more sensitive others when they go through pain and hardships.  There was no need for me to be the 'boy, you need to man up' dad., while he was crying.  Besides, I would probably would want some sympathy if I was going through pain.

I learned something else.  Pain can sometimes...be good!  I know that as parents we don't want our children to go through pain, especially if we can prevent it.  Yet, they have to have pain to understand the lesson.  We as dads had to go through lessons to get the meaning of the message.  Maybe your mom or dad told you to stay away from fire.  You didn't.  Guess what happened...YOU GOT BURNED!  Outcome -- you played it safe around fire.  Some of us were disciplined physically with spankings, and some got whoopins (not just whippings)!  Those got your attention as well.

There is one final thing that I learned -- I like when the pain is over!  There are a couple of reasons for this.  First, it's over!  And I came out a little better than I was before.  I learned from my lesson.  And secondly, I can (in some instances) appreciate the pain.  It is always better to look at a situation as a reflection time and not as a current time.  There is a great verse in the Bible that says, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."  -- Hebrews 12:11.  Wow, I get it!

We as dads, have some incredible pains, whether we want to admit it or not.  All of these 'pains' don't have to be physical, although as we get older we feel a few more dents and bruises.  We DO feel the 'pains' of raising our kids with moralilty and dignity.  And often times, when our kids don't go that way, we feel those pains as well.  We feel the pains of trying to make our marriages work, and work right.  And let's be honest, there will be the times when she loves you, but she may not like you (yes men, a pain-I know!)  We have the pains of keeping our integrity on the job, making our money work, ensuring our extended family is well, keeping our house from falling apart, etc.

Talk to me about some of the pains of being a dad.  And then tell me about the encouragements you got out of those pains. Tell me if you are still trying to get out of those times.   I and others will be very encouraged.  I am in No Off Season to hear from you.