Christmas With Chronic Pain

Merry Christmas! I don’t intend to write a long blog, as this is a time for family for us all. I did want to share a brief devotional I wrote for a support group on Facebook. I am just going to copy and paste it here. I do think it is meaningful, because if we believe the story of God coming to us in Christ to embrace all the suffering of humanity and to give us victory over even death, then we have much to find merriness even in the midst of pain. So, Merry Christmas…the devotional is below.

I want to begin my meditation from Heb. 2:9:

9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

None of us chose our suffering, but Jesus chose his for all of us. I need to remember that when my pain seems unending. No, my pain is chronic, but it is not eternal.

He chose to taste death for everyone. Maybe Jesus didn’t have chronic pain from disease, but he embraced pain and suffering and even death for the salvation of us all. None of us have suffered as Jesus did on the cross and he suffered that way so that our suffering would one day come to an end. As you think about Jesus as a baby in a manger, remember he was there because he chose to be, knowing full well what that choice would bring him. Jesus is “Immanuel”, God with us, and that means a lot to those who are hurting.

How does knowing that Jesus chose to embrace suffering and death help you deal with your own suffering?

How is Jesus Immanuel today? How is he with us?

David Heflin

Executive Director

David Heflin is the founder and president of Broken and Mended. He is married to Katie and has three kids. David has been a preacher for 17 years and founded Broken and Mended in 2018 after being inspired by his own battle with chronic pain to connect other hurting people to Jesus and each other. David has a B.A. in Bible from Oklahoma Christian University and a Master of Arts in Religion from Azusa Pacific University. He resides in Woodward, OK.

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