Numb the Pain

I am having surgery today.
In about two hours I will be put under with general anesthesia.
The anesthesia allows me to "sleep" through the surgery so that the surgeon can cut me "wide open" and I will lie there unaffected.
Anesthesia numbs the pain.

My iWitness...

When we face painful situations what do we do or use to "numb the pain?"

Or do we use anything at all to "numb the pain?"

I have known people who have used alcohol to numb the pain.
I have known people who have used drugs, legal and otherwise to numb the pain.
I have known people who have used exercise to numb the pain.
I have known people who have used excessive counseling to numb the pain.
I have known people who have used the church to numb the pain.
I have known people who have used Facebook to numb the pain.
This list could go on and on.
I think you get the point.

What about me?
What about you?
There are lots of things we can do and use to "numb the pain."

God is the only One who can take the pain away.
We are so quick to want to turn and run away from pain that sometimes God can't use the pain or the hurt to heal us because we numb ourselves so quickly with other substitutes. The ultimate result being, the origin of the pain is never healed and we, in a very real way "sleep" through life.

Feeling some pain today?
Let's not be so quick to "numb the pain" with self manufactured anesthesia.
What would happen if we embraced the pain in its totality today and let the Divine Surgeon heal us, repair us and fix us on His own operating table of love, mercy and grace?

And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin!

³ For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.
⁵ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
    and in sin did my mother conceive me.
⁶ Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
¹¹ Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.
¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
    O God of my salvation,
    and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶ For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

(Psalm 51. 1-17)