Numb

Training for Today: Cross-training (walking, biking, aerobics, etc.) for 30 minutes - NO running!

Devotion: Numb

Do you want to hear one of the silliest things I’ve ever done? OK, here it is. When I was preparing for the labor and delivery of my first child, my husband and I bought a DVD that was supposed to guide us through some relaxation techniques and coping strategies. It started out with some good suggestions . . . but then things got strange. The host of the show asked us to get a few ice cubes from the freezer. We were to hold the ice cubes in our hands for 3 minutes and use our newfound relaxation techniques to cope with the pain. Please tell me someone out there has tried something that silly (though it really was quite painful)!


In all seriousness, though, there are lessons that I’m still drawing from that experience today, and I’d like to share them with you. I remember that numb feeling in my hands incredibly well. It was a shock to my hands. It was hard to think about anything else. It left me longing for the moment of relief. As I deal with the grief surrounding my recurrent pregnancy loss, I often experience the same sensations. Perhaps you do, too. We won’t forget our experiences with grief; we remember them well. Loss is a shock to our systems. It’s hard for us to think about any thing else. And, loss leaves us longing for a moment of relief.

What is the purpose of those numb feelings after we experience loss? What good can come from them? What does God accomplish in us through these feelings? 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 gives us an answer: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

When we feel numb, God offers the warmth of His love. When grief shocks our systems, God offers us His consistency and security. And, when we realize that we experience grief as a result of sin, God offers us the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

So, don’t go looking in the freezer to prepare yourself for handling your grief, or any difficult situation, for that matter. God wants to draw you near by renewing you through your grief. God is there. He always will be. And, He will be waiting for you in eternal glory. Let’s fix our eyes heavenward!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, accomplish your will in me. Use this time grief to draw me closer to you. Thank you for the promise of your Son and the hope of heaven. Amen.