Trading Pain for Praise

I lost my father 16 years ago after a nine-year battle with cancer.

Then, my mother remarried Dennis O’Conner from Minnesota. I admit, it took me some time to find a new love for him as part of our family. Eventually, I truly did enjoy our times together both in the states and overseas in Haiti and the Dominican Republic on various trips. Then, the news came and I broke down. Dennis had cancer. It was terminal and no treatment would cure him.

In trying to cope with the frustration of my second dad on the verge of dying from cancer, I decided to go to a portion of the property behind my home and build a fire to burn some debris in the yard. It was a Sunday after church, and I was just lost for words with lighter fluid in one hand and a water hose in the other; I kept burning and burning the debris. Finally, it dawned on me that I had to leave. There was a comedy event that evening in Orlando benefiting New Missions, so I had to put out the fire, shower, and get to the event.

As I was pulling out of the driveway, my wife came running outside and said, “Is the fire out?” “Yes,” I said. “Are you sure?” she questioned. Still frustrated, I quickly responded back, “Yes, and if you don’t believe me, go check on it yourself.”

One hour later, I’m backstage ready for the event to begin with comedian Tim Hawkins when my cell phone rings. It’s my wife. “Oh no! What happened?” I thought to myself. Sure enough, she was on the other end of the call telling me how she and a neighbor spent the last hour on their knees, with the hose, rake and shovel, trying to put out the fire! “You could have burned down the entire neighborhood.” 

Pain is like fire. It can spread. In the moment of my disappointment from hearing the news of cancer for Dennis, I coped by burning. If we don’t put out the pain and fires in our lives, they can become so dangerous they grow and can hurt others. 

The story of Job in the Old Testament is one of trading pain for praise. “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.’ In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” Job 1:20-22

Recently, I was praying through something. I was having some shoulder and neck pain. I was frustrated because the discomfort was slowing me down. Opening the book of Job reminded me of how God’s ways are bigger and better than ours. We can’t see all that God is doing. Job did not blame God or anyone. Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Each day, may we trust, pray, and praise the Lord. ~Tim DeTellis