It hurts... but it helps.

"Pain is an unpleasant sensation often associated with damage to the body. Pain motivates us to withdraw from potentially damaging situations, protect a damaged body part while it heals, and avoid those situations in the future. Most pain resolves promptly once the painful stimulus is removed and the body has healed, but sometimes pain persists despite removal of the stimulus and apparent healing of the body; and sometimes pain arises in the absence of any detectable stimulus, damage or disease. The ability to experience pain is essential for protection from injury, and recognition of the presence of injury."

Truer words were never spoken. I'm thankful for pain. I never really thought I'd say that, what a sobering thought. We can learn a lot from pain if we try. Granted, learning from pain is learning the hard way, but at least it's learning. I've always heard it said that pain is a part of life, I just never realized it could be a good part. What happens when you reach for something and you don't realize it's very hot? It burns you... and you let go. That reflex of letting go can save your hand, or even your life. Burns are difficult to heal, yes. There are many complications from burns, many risks of infection, and much, much pain. Burns always leave scars, always. But most burns heal... with time. May we never take pain for granted. May we learn from it and appreciate it's benefits. May we learn to be thankful for life's painful lessons, and may we respond to the pain and let go of what is hurting us.

Release

"I've been lookin' till my eyes are tired of lookin'
Listenin' till my ears are numb from listenin'
Prayin' till my knees are sore from kneelin' on the bedroom floor
I know that you know that my heart is achin'
I'm running out of tears and my will is breakin'
I don't think that I can carry the burden of it anymore
All of my hopes and my dreams and my best laid plans,
Are slowly slippin' through my folded hands


So I'm gonna lay it down
I'm gonna learn to trust You now
What else can I do?
Cause everything I am depends on You
And if the sun don't come back up
I know Your love will be enough
I'm gonna let it be, I'm gonna let it go,
I'm gonna lay it down.

I've been walkin' through this world like I'm barely livin'
Buried in the doubt of this hole I've been diggin'
But You're pullin' me out
I'm finally breathin' in the open air
This room may be dark but I'm finally seein'
There's a new ray of hope, and now I'm believin'
That the past is past, and the future's beginning to look brighter now
Oh, cause all of my hopes and my dreams and my best laid plans
Are safe and secure when I place them in Your hands"

-Jaci Velasquez

Sometimes you just have to let it go.  You do everything you know to do, and then you do the really hard part... learn to release it.  It's taken me a very long time to do it, but I've finally done it.  I lay it down... and may I never try to pick it back up again.  Thank you, Lord, for helping me to let it go.