I spoke at the Christ Apostolic Church, Agbaroh, on Sunday, January 2nd, 2022.
The theme of their prayer conference was, “Blessing Without Pain”. I first had to let them know that even though every good and perfect gift is from God and leads to wealth without sorrow, in reality, pain is a frequent part of life. I don’t get sucked into all these overhyped pentecostal themes.
Pain can be a physical or an emotional discomfort usually with tissue and emotional damage. Pain shows that you are alive and normal. Dead people don’t feel pain. Lepers don’t feel pain because of damage to their nerves. Masochists enjoy pain. There are spiritually and intellectually dead people; they don’t feel pain. There are spiritual and intellectual lepers, they don’t feel pain and they can suffer a lot of losses and rubbish without reacting.
There are political, economic, social and religious masochists; they derive joy from their sadistic tormentors and they are even ready to fight others in defence of their oppressors and tormentors. They suffer from Stockholm Syndrome.
Benefits of pain.
- It should lead to insight and a readjustment to prevent further pain and damage.
Pain will make you avoid or withdraw from some people and circumstances.
- Pain can lead to gain when you react positively.
The pain of poverty and hardship refined me. It made me work hard and practice delayed gratification.
The emotional pain of having illiterate parents made me read wide and crave knowledge.
The pain of my colleague’s father asking me, “Whose son are you?” made me resolve that no one will ever ask my children, “Whose son or daughter are you?” They should ask them, “Are you Dr. Apoki’s descendant?”
The pain of my father not buying any real estate made me buy real estate very early in life.
- Pain was a teacher training school for me.
The pain of having two paralysed parents, two children who needed surgery at the same time, and my landlord telling me to vacate my accommodation toughened me. That I did not see any of my brothers for 5 years during all these challenges taught me independence and the grace to dare to walk alone. It also taught me that what I was going through was to prepare me to train others.
Prevention of unnecessary pain.
- Be very conscious of your environment and those you are relating to.
I know those who are very close to me and the potential pain they can cause me. I have made up my mind not to be pained when they eventually reveal their anticipated behaviour. There is nothing and nobody that I can’t do without. I have perfected the ability to walk away from anyone that deliberately seeks to cause me pain. Exercise caution.
- Make reasonable and intentional choices. If you are wrong, learn to move on. Wrong choices can cause pain.
- Choose your companions carefully. Don’t be afraid to lose them, when they choose to move on.
- Concentrate on Jesus; love Him and pursue your purpose.
The blessing from pain is the Wisdom acquired.
God Bless You.
