I was watching the movie the Equalizer II with Denzel Washington as the lead actor. Denzel is awesome in this movie. He starts off on a train, with a room full of gangsters with thick accents, who had just kidnapped a little girl. There are like nine of them and only one of Denzel. He confronts the leader of the gang with his transgressions and gives him a chance to hand over the girl with no consequences. Of course, he is not going to do that because there are ten of them and one of Denzel. So, like every other bad guy, he walks off and leaves his goons to dispose of Denzel. Denzel very aggressively kills all nine of the goons in spectacular fashion and once again sits in front of the gang leader. Then he says the best line I have heard in a while, he says “There are two kinds of pain, a pain that hurts and a pain that alters. Today you have a choice.” Did I mention that Denzel is awesome in this movie?
That line resonated with me because it makes you answer the question of who you are. Are you a victim or a survivor? A glass half empty or glass half full person? Sociologists see it all the time with siblings who grow up in the same broken, abusive families and come out completely opposite. One of them continues the cycle of brokenness and abuse and the other is determined to live the opposite way and do something positive with their life. Pain that hurts and pain that alters.
If you are like me, my entire life can be summed up in one sentence “It didn’t as planned, and that’s ok!” We aren’t talking about physical pain today, we are talking about emotional pain. The “we just found out we lost the baby after trying for ten years” pain. The “my family just found out everyone’s favorite uncle has been abusing all the little girls in family” pain. The “my spouse just left me for another person after 20 years of marriage” pain. It’s going to hurt. But those serious pains, the ones that alter our entire life, how do we deal with that?
Jesus suffered through a pain that alters. It probably started with a conversation like this: (I am just guessing. Bible historians please do not email me with complaints).
Judas: Hey Jesus, still on for Friday?
Jesus: Friday?
Judas: Yeah, the last supper.
Jesus: The what?
Judas: Supper…just normal supper with the fellas.
If you don’t know the rest of the story I recommend that you watch a critically acclaimed movie called “The Passion of Christ”. It goes into very graphic detail of pain that alters. You do not have to deal with it alone. One of my most favorite bible verses is Psalms 23:4: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for though art with me, thy rod and staff they comfort me.” If I were not so averse to the pain of a needle I would get this verse tattooed on my ribcage. It has gotten me through so much pain. Even when I felt lonely I was never alone and never had to go through it alone. Take that pain and use it as motivation to continue with your life.
For example, I am overweight. Let’s say you are overweight and now have health problems like I do. You can let the pain of those problems hurt, or you can let it alter your lifestyle. I am not the type to brag but I finished my 14-day diet in 3 hours and 27 minutes. I tried a less painful way to escape but now I am determined. No more fad diets. I changed my eating habits. I started exercising more, and now I make better decisions. Your parents/spouse/sibling/friend/pastor hurt you? I get that. I also get that hurt people hurt people. You can let it hurt or you can bounce back, shake it off, and let God drag you forward until you are ready to walk with him. My wife says the most hurtful things to me all the time. Things like “let’s go for a run” and “try this sugar-free version”. This is the hard part of marriage that most people don’t talk about, but I will love her through this. I said that to say this, through much prayer and faith in God things don’t hurt me as much as they used to. That is only because I know who I am in Christ. I turn my pain into praise, a life-altering praise.
Prescott Williamson is a Bible-believing Christian. He is a husband, a father, and someone who believes that there is a little humor to be found in whatever situation God sends your way. He was born in the small islands of the Bahamas but now lives in the Suburbs of Fort Worth Texas, which is basically the same thing. He enjoys TV, reading, blogging and serving in his church (especially on the days they serve donuts). You can see what I have been thinking about lately on my blog www.prescottascoolbreeze.com.
Perspective is everything when it comes to trials! They are painful, but they always have a constructive, bigger-purpose design behind them – if you let them. Very important lesson!
This is so true. You can choose to see the positive or choose to focus on the negative. Thanks for reading.
Perspective is everything when it comes to trials! They are painful, but they always have a constructive, bigger-purpose design behind them – if you let them. Very important lesson!
This is so true. You can choose to see the positive or choose to focus on the negative. Thanks for reading.
You really like the Equalizer don’t you? 🙂 That’s actually a great line, and it’s good how these kinds of lines can work their way into films and TV shows which provide plenty of food for thought and discussion. It’s very true that we can allow our pain to hurt or to change us from within. Often though, it’s hard to distinguish between the two, and God can easily use something that, at least for the time being, seems to only hurt us. It’s only much later when we look back on it that we see that it was actually instrumental in helping us to change or become more Christ-like.
I found lots of great nuggets in this movie lol. It’s a good thing thing God does not show us what we have to go through to get the end result because most of us might give up before the plan is finished. Pain is temporary heave is eternal. Thanks for reading
You really like the Equalizer don’t you? 🙂 That’s actually a great line, and it’s good how these kinds of lines can work their way into films and TV shows which provide plenty of food for thought and discussion. It’s very true that we can allow our pain to hurt or to change us from within. Often though, it’s hard to distinguish between the two, and God can easily use something that, at least for the time being, seems to only hurt us. It’s only much later when we look back on it that we see that it was actually instrumental in helping us to change or become more Christ-like.
I found lots of great nuggets in this movie lol. It’s a good thing thing God does not show us what we have to go through to get the end result because most of us might give up before the plan is finished. Pain is temporary heave is eternal. Thanks for reading
This is such a nice article! A great perspective I’ve never thought about. It takes us to some good deep thinking but I I love how you season it all with great humor. Really enjoyed reading it. I’m seriously considering to hang this sentence on some wall, and I’ll have to repeat it here…I’d like to memorize it: “There are two kinds of pain, a pain that hurts and a pain that alters. Today you have a choice.” Yes, indeed!
Hey Tricy thanks for reading. This is something I try to incorporate in every uncomfortable situation I face. I can define it or let it define me. I am glad you got something out of it. Thanks for reading
This is such a nice article! A great perspective I’ve never thought about. It takes us to some good deep thinking but I I love how you season it all with great humor. Really enjoyed reading it. I’m seriously considering to hang this sentence on some wall, and I’ll have to repeat it here…I’d like to memorize it: “There are two kinds of pain, a pain that hurts and a pain that alters. Today you have a choice.” Yes, indeed!
Hey Tricy thanks for reading. This is something I try to incorporate in every uncomfortable situation I face. I can define it or let it define me. I am glad you got something out of it. Thanks for reading