Play Through The Pain
Imagine that you are an athlete. Your team has had an uneventful season, you barely have a winning record, and your personal stats are just good enough NOT to get noticed. Today is game day. You are playing in a particularly average game on an average day. You are not the All-Star, MVP, Heisman candidate, or crowd favorite. Just…average.
On this particular day during the game you get hurt. Your wound isn’t dramatic, it’s not a broken leg or a concussion, but nevertheless you ARE hurt. You are NOT debilitated, however you are experiencing enough pain to cause you to ask yourself, “Is it worth it?” ”Is this game worth my pain?” You have the choice to continue playing, or to seek comfort and attention. If you choose the latter you would be totally justified because, after all, you are hurt! In this moment, you have a decision: Play through the pain, or go to the sidelines.
One of the greatest decisions you can ever make in this life is the decision to play through the pain.
Over the years I have learned two principles:
1. When you show people your wounds, you will receive SYMPATHY. You’ll get band-aids, massages, attention, care, love, and support. You’ll be the center of attention, people will pander to your needs. There will always be someone who is empathetic toward your situation and wants to nurse you back to full health. The crowd, coaches and players will understand, but they will also say, “I wish he/she was not hurt, we could use their abilities on the field.”
Alternatively,
2. When you play through the pain, you will receive HONOR. Others will see that you are hurt, and they will see you playing anyway. This inspires people, and it proves to the audience that you LOVE the game. People will respect you for that. Other wounded people will FOLLOW you. You’ll get voted captain. Your leadership and influence will increase.
Your decision to play through the pain just might be the most pivotal decision of this season in your life. You can be a wounded VICTIM, or a wounded WARRIOR.
In your marriage, career, ministry, church, family, friendships, relationships, and any other area this applies, make the decision to PLAY THROUGH THE PAIN.
It’s worth it.
4 Comments
Are you talking about Mike’s broken ribs? JK. Any who, my football coach told me there’s a big difference between being hurt and being injured. It’s great to know the difference both physically as well as emotionally and spiritually.
haha – I actually did think about him while I was writing!
great post! I totally agree… and I think it doesn’t have to be either/or. I think there are moments when simply revealing our wounds increases our credibility and leadership ‘sticky-ness’.
as we play through our pain it can be easy for us to hide it, pretend it isn’t there. take caution not to sweep it under the rug or else your wounds may go un-healed.
Sometimes it is easy to say this, I have felt it a lot and have walked into church with such great pain, that I should have used my wheelchair, but my pride got in the way. I love serving at the Welcome table and made sure I was back on the schedule, I will make sure I use more wisdom in the future. Thanks for sharing brother!