I am healing from injuries from earlier this year. I tried to avoid stepping on pets and did not always succeed. My left knee has had pain in it and, because of the change in my gait, my right knee has been giving me problems too. I am delaying doing things to avoid feeling the pain in my knees and that has caused more problems. The main issue is I have lost range of motion and my muscles are tight, causing more pain.
What struck me this morning is that it is not just physical pain I sometimes try to avoid. I also give emotional and intellectual pain a bypass whenever possible. I am not sure that is a healthy way to live because we sometimes change for the better because of being uncomfortable.
This week, I am taking a firm step forward to healing my body. I have an elliptical trainer available now and I have used it to begin to recover the range of motion I have lost, especially in my lower extremities. I know it will take time along with the low carb diet that works best for me but I also believe God will multiply my efforts and the physical fitness I long to recover will be mine.
I am also very good at keeping my emotions from injury. I maintain distance from people and situations that could be hurtful. That means, however, that I do not allow myself the chance to meet new people often, primarily because of fear of rejection. I think everyone has experienced it. It has happened to me many times in my life. Mine started early with feeling rejected by my father, then by the ‘in’ crowd in high school, and continued later through a divorce and more recently because a potential relationship did not work out. I am a warm, kind person and when people meet me, they like me. I just need to get over the past more completely so I can move ahead.
Intellectual pain comes to me in odd ways. As a child and teenager, I was one of the smart kids. I have discovered over the years that a quick mind and photographic memory help but they are no match for some of the geniuses I have encountered. Engaging in debate often leaves me feeling ‘less than’ others and despite recognizing the blessings God has bestowed on me intellectually, the feeling can dampen my desire to join a conversation. But I always learn something new and so pushing forward into depths where I just might drown can be rewarding.
Is anyone else out there avoiding pain? If so, what type and how do you hope to change the situation?