Pain unfortunately is
inevitably faced in life and every person will go through the crucibles of bad
experiences. There will be three types of pain you will encounter in life.
The
pain of
1. Self-discipline
2. Regret
3. Loss
Self-discipline can
be painful but it is a temporal pain that ceases at the reward of success
and improved intestinal fortitude. Self-discipline involves acting
according to your principles instead of how you feel in the
moment. It involves the foregoing of pleasure and thrill of the moment for what
matters most in life. Therefore, the foregoing of temporal pleasure may be
painful to the flesh. However, it is a temporal pain worth enduring as a tradeoff
for the ultimate sustained success in the future. We all understand that
hindsight is 20/20. I promise, if you endure the temporal pain self-discipline
induces now, you will look back someday and say “it was worth it!”
Discipline is
freedom. Many people believe it’s a word that is equated with the absence of
freedom. In fact the opposite is true. Stephen R. Covey wrote, “the
undisciplined are slaves to moods, appetites and passions”. In the longer term,
the undisciplined people lack the freedom that comes with possessing particular
skills and abilities – e.g. to play a musical instrument or speak a foreign
language.
The pain of regret is
oftentimes the results of forgoing self-discipline. Impatience and lack of
thought being invested in a decision leads to the pain of regret. As we mature
in life the pains of regret should be lessening. With maturity comes patience
and the evaluating of our decisions by looking at the consequences first.
The pain of loss is
determined by context. Is the loss a marriage, financial, friendship, or
employment? Regardless of which one it is, our dealing with it depends solely
on how we respond. Dealing with all loss except the loss of a loved one begins
with taking personal responsibility. Pain can be a teachable moment if we
permit it. When we encounter pain we simultaneously come to a crossroad in our
lives. If we choose the road of humility and accept responsibility for our decisions
and actions, we can learn from them for future references. Experience is not a
good teacher unless we learn from our experiences. However, I can choose the
road of pride by not accepting responsibility and blaming others and
circumstances for my failures. This highway leads to a life of misery,
heartache, and discouragement. Again, as we mature in life, loss created by
personal decisions should be lessening.
Thought
Only consult your
past when looking to learn from it. Never look to the past to stew and ferment
your failures to relive them in your mind. Remember the lesson but forget the
pain. Move on and live on!
Philippians 3:13-14
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
What you think on eventually you will speak. Control the tongue by controlling the mind.
Proverbs 18:21
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Philippians 3:13-14
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
What you think on eventually you will speak. Control the tongue by controlling the mind.
Proverbs 18:21
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
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