Jesus is the answer to all of your pains

Jim Honeycutt

Chaplain-Baptist Minister

On a warm heating pad, I laid my tired sore back. Stretched out flat, I took long deep breaths, holding them in for a few seconds before releasing them. I was trying to encourage deep muscle relaxation purposefully. For after a weekend of lawn chores, this short rest was something I felt was required.

There was a time I could do a lot more physical work than I did this past Saturday and not feel but a little tired. Of course, there was also a time as a kid when I could fall off my bike, jump up, dust off and get right back at it. Now it seems if I step wrong, I feel it for days. And if I trip and land on my backside, somebody call the doctor.

So, after a visit to the massage therapist, I came to the sanctuary of my bedroom to rest and give my aching parts a break. The therapist I visited was excellent. She took the information I gave her, felt the resistance in my muscles and applied the corrective measures to bring the desired results. Her touch upon me was soothing as she massaged deeply into the muscle, then coaxed out the tightness by gentle manipulation.

With the tranquility of nature sounds playing from a speaker, warm glow of the candles and the scent of lavender, I found myself drifting peacefully. A peace that my body longed for. Now usually after a massage I go right back to work, but this day I took a little bit more down time to allow my body to rest fully. Hence, I am upstairs late in the afternoon.

Softly on my nightstand radio, Olivia Newton John sings “Have you ever been mellow,” and I ponder the thought as I sing along. Being mellow is not something that comes naturally to me. My mind stays a buzz near constant. Occasionally, I get a thought into my head and it gets stuck. Now, when these thoughts are uplifting, positive, and productive, there is no issue, but when the thoughts I’m talking about are worrisome, negative and self-serving, it creates disharmony throughout my body. Like a knot in a muscle, they twist themselves up making it painful to function or even move forward. In this I know I am not alone.

Most folks I have spoken with this about find it’s the near constant bombardment against our thoughts and emotions in this modern world that are the most tiresome. This bombardment has spiked the underlying anger in our world and is driving the daily conversations. I even saw a commercial on TV where a sausage and brat company was pitching itself as the answer to America’s angst. We can see our country has an anger issue, yet I don’t believe sausage is the answer. From the top to the bottom, the haves to the have nots, the cost of America’s anger is coming due and without answer we can’t pay the bill. 

Yet there is someone that has the answer. He is someone who knows the way past self-destruction. He is someone who helps control the thoughts. He is someone to remove our angst. 

To my spirit He is better than any massage therapist I could go for muscle aches. In that He sees the root of my problem. I tell Him my pain. He can feel it. I tell him my need, He sees it. He is The Creator and His words to me are more comforting than a heating pad on a sore back. His touch soothes my heart aches. His presence eases my mind. His words calm my spirit. He is The Salvation of my life. The Promise of God come in the flesh.

His name is Jesus. And though many have heard of Him, few trust Him with their eternity. I know all the excuses of why many don’t turn to Him. And yet my personal testimony is that He is the only way to true Peace. I have tested Jesus’s love time and time again, not once has He disappointed me. Oh, there are times I don’t fully understand things at first, but He is patient and walks me through the steps of maturing.

This morning, as I sat to write this story the concerns of the day began to creep in my thoughts. The dogs straining for my attention sat at my feet not so submissively. My wife came downstairs asking me to do something for her and just like that I was bombarded by selfish thoughts of being interrupted. Taking a few moments, I paused my writing to take care of the current need. Then refocusing, I saw that right now I needed to take my cares and thoughts to my Spiritual Therapist Jesus. So, confessing my need, I did.

My friends, Jesus Christ is not only willing to heal your pains, He has an opportunity ready for you right now.