Slow Burn - Pt 1

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2 ESV).

We have all been to the doctor when we have had to report our physical pain using a scale of 1-10 with “smiley faces” to indicate how we were feeling. However, I have noticed that we lack simple ways to communicate our mental health pain. Exactly like physical health, mental health pain is more about the level of distress it’s causing us than the injury itself. The reason we treat pain isn’t because it hurts. It’s because it’s distressing to us. So, for the next few days we will be looking at the Scripture to give us some direction as to how we may be able to treat our emotional or mental pain. The brain doesn’t differentiate between physical pain and mental pain. In fact, this is a big reason why they try to get chronic pain patients to tackle existing mental health problems, whether they’re caused by the chronic health conditions or not. The sensitivity of our central nervous system can make us more aware in the perception of pain. In fact, most therapists believe that chronic, severe pain doesn’t actually make us more tolerant to pain; it makes us less tolerant and oversensitive to it. In other words, the more pain you feel the more intense feelings of pain become. It makes sense, though. If every day you burn your hand on the stove, you start flinching before you reach it. Your brain tells you “this is hurting already.” Any reminders of that heat or stove will prompt the pain-aversion response, and in the cases of most old injuries that’s not actually warranted anymore. That’s the direction the Apostle Paul is pointing us toward in our reading today. He says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (v. 2). And, that’s where we begin. It is a transformation of the mind that allows us to control the feeling of the pain. The pain is undeniably there; however, we can find the means in Christ to transform our perception so that our tolerance of it becomes less of an issue in our daily lives. It brings hope and strength to bear in our circumstances. In the next few days we’ll look at some of practical things that the Scripture instructs us to do to achieve this position. The first step in this renewal of the mind is a change in focus. Here’s what Paul says to the Philippians: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7 ESV). I encourage to begin there. It is only a “first step.” But final steps cannot be taken until we take first steps!