Worldy Pain vs. Christ's Suffering...

It amazes how a simple quote can inspire me, or anyone for that matter, so much. I recently ran across this one on a Christian website: "If you had never known physical pain in your life, how could you appreciate the nail scarred hands with which Jesus Christ will meet you?"  Joni Tada. Those words really gave me perspective on things going on in my life. I have been experiencing a few setbacks these last few days in regards to my physical health. Walking has become increasingly harder, and to be honest, for the first time I got freaked about it. I don't really know how to explain it other than I feel a ‘disconnect’ from my brain to my legs...like I have no idea how to get the two to work together. Needless to say it's a weird feeling. Of course I know God's still in control of all this, but it's part of my human nature to be a little discouraged. In the midst of my minor 'pity party,' I was looking for verses or quotes to really inspire me. I scrolled through pages and pages of great quotes looking for one that stood out. Guess what? The Lord knew exactly how to get my attention. The words I quoted above did just that. I kind of felt ridiculous for feeling down about my circumstances after reading the quote. For goodness sake, I can't even fathom the pain that Jesus went through; the pain that endured for ME! Talk about reality check. Christ died for my sins. His nail scarred hands, His head adorned with thorns, His body hanging on the cross...sound gruesome? Yeah well, it was. He did all that for us...sinners completely not worthy of it. Now, I'm not saying that our worldly pains, our physical down turns, aren't hard to deal with...because they are. I'll be the first one to admit that. Another thing I'll jump right up (not literally, haha) to admit is that anything is possible with Christ on our side. He is the original 'superman.' He endured the unspeakable, died, and then rose again. That in itself proves that whatever we are up against in this life, God can overcome it. I know that I'll have plenty of pain, suffering, setbacks, and discouragements...all that is part of the world we live in. I'm not trying to be someone who lives in a fantasy world where I deny those facts. What I am doing is boldly stating that God, my God, is bigger than ALL that. His power far outweighs my weakness, His love is stronger than my sadness, and His joy is fully renewed in me every single day I choose to accept it. Romans 8:31 says “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”