Keep Up the Good Fight*

I woke up with a really sore back yesterday morning. Its not the first time recently. For the last few days or week my back has been good, but over the last couple of months many mornings it has flared up bad, and has taken a long walk on the treadmill to stabilise. It comes from an old injury, that I thought I had healed, but it has flared up again. 

But yesterday morning was different. It was worse than it had been for ages. I don't know why, but it felt awful. My usual stretches barely helped. It really hurt, but I wanted to go to church. We are on holidays and I wanted to visit a particular church. But I actually wondered if I could physically do so. Personally, the level of pain was so intense I wondered if it was a spiritual attack. 

I also didn't want to hobble into church, as I was visiting another fellowship on my holidays. I prayed over it, tripled my stretches, paced in my office to loosen it up, and got into my car with a very sore back. 

Once we got to the Church, we found a park, and I got out of my car with my family and was able to stand and walk with a little twinge in my back. As we got to the front of the Church, I saw a man, likely in his late 50's or early 60's, who was hobbled by serious back pain. But he was walking purposely towards Church. He was only a metre or two in front of us at this point, and he slipped over at the front entrance to the Church. It was raining and the level had a hidden slight change at the entrance. 

Myself, and the two ushers saw him fall over, and we immediately went to help him. He stood up himself, and I handed him the two items he had dropped when he fell. He was fine, joyful and he walked into church, where I later saw him sitting with his family. 

Here I was wrestling with my pain, while at much the same time of the morning this man had obviously been doing the same, but with a far worse level. Lesson learned, as seeing him gave me real perspective. 

For some reason my back did not hurt at all again yesterday. 

Church was a blessing. The message was very solid, and grace filled. We also ran into old friends. 

You never know the battle some go through just to get to church. Some I know, because as a pastor people tell me. Others you never know. Some you experience yourself. 

Never give up the battle. It's always worth it to fight through it.

*I will be back to regular writing soon. Just enjoying an extended break with my family. God bless you all.