Welcome to The Wildroot Parables weekly discussions! This is where we can come together as a community and have real talk with one another: open, honest, gracious, and curious.
This is YOUR space to discuss with each other, not just engage with me! Because of this, SAFE SHARING is my highest priority. If you are not engaging safely and with grace with others, you will have to leave. Period.
For more about the WP Comment Guidelines, check out our About Page.
Thank you for entering this space with care!
On Monday, our devotional was all about the silent invitations we receive from our pain—both physical and emotional—to see things a little differently, and reconsider what our true limitations are.
Today, let’s discuss: what lessons have you learned from pain? You may define pain however you wish.
(NOTE: as this is a particularly sensitive topic, please engage each other with extra care and compassion today.)
4a- Apologize quickly, sincerely, and once only. Make it count.
4b- Just to make the reciprocal explicit: Don't apologize just to make peace. That kicks-the-can. Solve whatever the problem is. If the problem is you, own it. (edit) If the problem is *not* you--don't apologize for it.
5- You cannot give what you do not have. If you have no joy, you cannot bring joy to people. Substitute whatever you want in that formula. Don't forget to invest in yourself.
Dr. Phil may be a celebrity psychologist, but he said something on which my wife and I often reflect: "We won't take action until the pain of same outweighs the pain of change." Pain takes many forms, from the debilitating kind to the annoying pebble-in-the-shoe kind. But whatever form pain takes, there's almost always a lesson buried there -- along with an invitation, perhaps. Is this pain I'm experiencing really a call to change? The Holy Spirit nudge is persistent!
I always come back to the realization that pain, as unfortunate as it may be, is absolutely essential to growth. Whether that be growth as in literal physical recovery or growth as in the drawing closer to Christ. It is essential that we suffer somewhat and die to ourselves that we may live as the light of Christ.
An acorn must breakdown before it becomes the mighty oak. So must we.
Sorry. I know that's very heavy but this topic has actually been front of mind for me lately.
I just published an article yesterday about this called The Classroom of Disappointment (loosely based on James 1:2-4) about what we learn through experiencing trials in life. Pain would certainly qualify as a trial. I love personal growth discussions. We all benefit from reading about the wisdom gained from experiencing the pain and disappointments that are part of life's package deal.
Lessons without context:
1- Don't Sin
2- Be Honest, always.
3- Be willing to walk away
4- Don't apologize unless you've done something wrong.
4a- Apologize quickly, sincerely, and once only. Make it count.
4b- Just to make the reciprocal explicit: Don't apologize just to make peace. That kicks-the-can. Solve whatever the problem is. If the problem is you, own it. (edit) If the problem is *not* you--don't apologize for it.
5- You cannot give what you do not have. If you have no joy, you cannot bring joy to people. Substitute whatever you want in that formula. Don't forget to invest in yourself.
Dr. Phil may be a celebrity psychologist, but he said something on which my wife and I often reflect: "We won't take action until the pain of same outweighs the pain of change." Pain takes many forms, from the debilitating kind to the annoying pebble-in-the-shoe kind. But whatever form pain takes, there's almost always a lesson buried there -- along with an invitation, perhaps. Is this pain I'm experiencing really a call to change? The Holy Spirit nudge is persistent!
I always come back to the realization that pain, as unfortunate as it may be, is absolutely essential to growth. Whether that be growth as in literal physical recovery or growth as in the drawing closer to Christ. It is essential that we suffer somewhat and die to ourselves that we may live as the light of Christ.
An acorn must breakdown before it becomes the mighty oak. So must we.
Sorry. I know that's very heavy but this topic has actually been front of mind for me lately.
I just published an article yesterday about this called The Classroom of Disappointment (loosely based on James 1:2-4) about what we learn through experiencing trials in life. Pain would certainly qualify as a trial. I love personal growth discussions. We all benefit from reading about the wisdom gained from experiencing the pain and disappointments that are part of life's package deal.