Miracle Moment:The Unexpected Gift of Pain

On May 9, we flew with my mom to my son and daughter in Law’s to spend time with our little grandson over Mother’s Day weekend. It was to be a fun five day gathering of four generations. We arrived at midnight, so we went right to bed. About 3 am, I woke with extreme pain and tried to gut it out, but my moans grew louder as pain grew worse. By early morning I said, “Bill, please take me to the ER right now! I feel like something is very wrong, I feel like I am going to explode! The pain was so excruciating that I opted in to a hospital five minutes away, appropriated located on Mercy Way! I could not stand up straight and I was moaning loudly as the pain continued to escalate. The doctor gave a gentle pain med which did noting, so she gave me morphine which eventually calmed the pain enough for a battery of tests that revealed this I had a large ovarian cyst. They arrange an ambulance ride so I could stay on morphine for the 20 muted ride to the best women’s hospital that would carry me to an excellent gynecological oncologist. With more testing, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer stage 1c. Ovarian cancer is called the silent killer because often there are no real symptoms – my extreme pain was very unusual—and pain saved my life! My doctor said my kind of ovarian cancer is rare, and fast growing, and 4 more weeks would have likely placed me at stage 3 or 4. Pain helped my doctor find my cancer much sooner, so I was able to have surgery sooner, and I can begin chemo sooner.

Pain Rescues

Pain, while often seen negatively, serves crucial protective and diagnostic functions that can be lifesaving. According to the Stanford Health Library, pain acts as the body’s alarm system, signaling injury or potential harm, thus prompting individuals to take necessary actions to avoid further damage (Stanford Medicine). Furthermore, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke highlights that without the ability to feel pain, individuals might not recognize serious injuries, leading to severe complications or even life-threatening situations (Stanford BeWell). Additionally, pain can aid medical professionals in diagnosing underlying conditions, as specific pain patterns can point to particular health issues, facilitating timely and appropriate medical interventions (Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute).

Pain Is a Gift

Even spiritually, the Bible shares promises that connect suffering that produces beautiful lasting fruit, I made the fruit in BOLD so we can easily see all the benefits of pain and suffering:

James 1:2-4 (NIV): “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Romans 5:3-5 (NIV): “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV): “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
1 Peter 5:10 (NIV): “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
Hebrews 12:11 (NIV): “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.”Where is the pain happening in your life today? Pray and ask God reveal to you the gift and rescue that might be hidden in that pain. Thank God for the anticipated benefits and lasting pay offs of the temporary pain of today. Pam Farrel is the author of 61 books including her newest, Glimpse of God’s Glory: One Woman’s Near- Death Experience; Growing a Joyful Heart devotional (co-authored with Karen Whiting) and Discovering Wisdom in Proverbs: A Creative Bible Study Experience (co-authored with Jean E Jones and Karla Dornacher) Please print out beautiful bookmarks with lovely symbols for ovarian cancer, and inspiring verses to pray for my healing journey. Thank you! Books available on Amazon and www.Love-Wise.com