The Pain We Feel

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It’s been a while since I have spoken on the racial climate of our country. I’ve been watching and listening. I’m trying to organize my thoughts concerning so much of what’s going on. One thing I know is that we are not communicating well. People are angry. People are frustrated. People are confused. It is important to remember that anger is a secondary emotion. Generally, it’s physical or emotional pain that brings it on.
 
Have you ever been in pain? I think we all have. Have you ever been hurt by someone? Betrayed? Not believed? How did you respond? Did you ever react by punching or hitting something, or throwing something across the room? Screaming at or about it? Did that reaction help you? Did you stop to think about it before you reacted? Most of us don’t.
 
The way we act out of pain very often results in an action where we end up hurting ourselves.
 
Sometimes that pain is misunderstood as hate. Usually, when a person is hurt, they have a strong desire for that hurt to be understood, so they inflict pain on another. It’s not because they truly want to hurt them, they just want them to understand what they feel. Does that make sense? Can you remember a time you have done that?
 
My hope is that each of us will stop, listen, and take time to understand what a person (or group of people) may be feeling about a specific situation. Think about how we may be misunderstanding. Maybe even ask how we can help. You may be surprised at the healing that takes place.
 
I have so much more to say on this subject, but this is not a book reading. Oh hey! I am actually writing a book on this stuff! 😉
 
I do want to hear how some of you have processed pain, or recognized it in others. How did you handle it well or poorly?
 
Here are some scriptures that sum up the way we should be dealing with each other.
 
“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.” Galatians 6:2-3
 
“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14
 
“Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.” 1 Peter 3:8

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