CIPA

Huh? What did she just say? What is CIPA (pronounced SEE-PA)? CIPA is an extremely rare inherited disorder of the nervous system which prevents the sensation of pain, heat, and cold.
Do you know how very dangerous life is when you have CIPA? At first glance this sounds great. I NEVER have to feel pain. That is until little Johnny sticks his hand on the stove and burns his hand so severely it can never be used again. Pain...as awful as it is...is there to protect us.

I was watching HOUSE last night and they had a patient with CIPA. They were able to drill through her head and she felt no pain at all. They preforms surgery on her stomach while she was awake, because she felt no pain.

It made me think of my life lately. There has been a lot of pain. But maybe, just maybe this pain is here to protect me. There is a reason for pain. It can make you cautious, it can protect, it can make you learn from your mistakes. Pain is the tool that we use to make us stronger. Pain makes us more appreciative. Pain can help us grow.

Though pain is nothing we like, it is necessary to our well being. Sometimes we can even look back and say...I am so glad that happened.
I don't like pain, but I am thankful for the trials in my life. They have made me who I am today. It has made me strong. Thank you Lord for the pain. Thank you for giving me to opportunity to suffer to see how great you are. You have done great things in my life.

The Story of Job the Long-suffering.

In ancient times, east of Palestine, there lived a righteous man by the name of Job. He was a just and good man, who always strove to please God throughout his life. The Lord rewarded him for his piety with great wealth. He had many hundreds of large and thousands of small cattle. His large and close family of seven sons and three daughters comforted him.

But the Devil was jealous of Job. He began to vilify him before God, "Doth Job fear God for nothing?... But put forth Thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse Thee to Thy face." Then God, in order to reveal to all how faithful Job was to Him and in order to teach people patience in their sufferings, permitted the Devil to take away all of Job’s possessions. One day robbers came and drove away all his cattle, slew his servants, and a terrible tornado from the desert destroyed the house in which Job’s children had gathered together, killing them all. Job not only did not complain against God, but he said, "God gave, and God hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord."

The Devil, put to shame, was not satisfied with this. Again he began to slander Job, "All a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth Thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh (that is, strike him down with disease), and he will curse Thee to Thy face." God permitted the Devil to deprive Job even of his health, and Job was stricken with the most terrible disease — leprosy. Then even his wife began to persuade him to complain against God. His friends, instead of consolation, only further grieved the innocent sufferer with their unjust suspicions. But Job remained firm, did not lose hope in the mercy of God and only begged the Lord to testify that he was suffering in innocence.

In his discourse with his friends, Job prophesied about the Redeemer and of the future resurrection: I know that my Redeemer liveth and on the last day He shall raise from the dust this my corrupted skin, and in my flesh I shall see God. I shall see Him myself; mine eyes, and not the eyes of another, shall behold Him (Job 19:25-27, Septuagint).

After this, God, having shown to all the example of devotion and long-suffering in His servant Job, appeared Himself and commanded his friends, who had regarded Job as a great sinner, to ask for prayers from him for themselves. God rewarded His faithful servant. Job regained his health. He had seven more sons and three daughters, gained back twice as much cattle as he had before, and lived another one hundred and forty years in honor, quietly, piously and happily.

The story of long-suffering Job teaches us that God sends misfortunes not just for sins, but that sometimes God sends misfortunes even to the righteous for an even greater confirmation in goodness, for the shaming of the Devil, and for the glorification of the righteousness of God. The history of the life of Job also reveals to us that earthly welfare does not always accompany a virtuous life for men and teaches us also to be sympathetic to those in misfortune. Job, by his innocent sufferings and patience, foreshadowed the Lord Jesus Christ.