Spiritual Wellness
"Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways."
"Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways."
Proverbs 20:29
Though many of us agree that pain can make us stronger, finding solace and spiritual motivation from quotes such as the one above from Proverbs is usually harder than we think it will be. Dealing with constant pain can be both emotionally and physically draining, but what you have to remember is that God will rarely leave you without the tools to find a solution to your pain. Sometimes, a painful experience is what we need in order to get out and seek different ways of doing things.
For example, from minor discomfort to debilitating torment, a significant number of people suffer from foot pain. According to the New York Times, as high as 75 percent of the American population suffer from some sort of foot pain during the course of their lifetime. Considering the important role our feet play in our daily lives, the cumulative effect of foot pain can be serious.
However, instead of suffering silently, you should be actively striving to look for a solution. Foot pain is usually caused by one or more of the following factors:
Wearing the wrong shoes. Footwear that does not provide the correct support, does not have adequate cushioning, or does not fit properly can lead to foot pain. High heels and shoes that are too narrow can add to foot problems.
High-impact and excessive exercising. Too much walking or jogging can cause common issues such as blisters, calluses, ankle injuries, and stress fractures.
Too much walking. Spending exorbitant amounts of time on your feet can cause or aggravate problems, particularly when the wrong footwear is being worn.
Medical conditions. Obesity, pregnancy, diabetes, fallen arches, and arthritis are just some of the conditions that can cause foot pain.
If you suffer from foot pain, then, what should you do? For severe pain or pain caused by injuries, seek the help of a medical professional. Swelling around the ankle joint, open sores, or pain that lasts more than 1-2 weeks are also reasons to consult a physician. Diabetics should always consult with their doctor when foot pain begins. Depending on the nature and cause of the problem, the doctor may prescribe medication, recommend surgery, or recommend physical therapy.
Most times, though, some TLC at home is enough to address the problem of foot pain. Popular home remedies include:
- Applying ice to reduce swelling.
- Staying off your feet for a while.
- Taking pain medication such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
- Elevating your feet.
- Losing weight.
- Using creams, ointments, or petroleum jelly on your feet.
- Wearing proper footwear.
In addition to treating foot pain, choosing the right footwear can go a long way toward preventing it in the first place. Look for shoes with good arch support and plenty of cushioning. Insoles, inserts, or orthotics may be useful tools to supplement or correct the support and cushioning your shoes offer.
The shoes you do choose should provide amply room around the balls of the feet. Aim to leave half an inch space between the end of your longest toe and the tip of your shoe. Avoid shoes that narrow at the toes. Steering clear of high heels would also be wise.
Sneakers tend to be the best choice for providing the support, space, and cushioning you need. Find a pair that fits and is comfortable, then wear them whenever possible. Replacing them frequently can help keep your feet healthy and free of pain.
As common as foot pain is, it can generally be treated effectively, reduced, and hopefully eliminated. With proper attention and care, you may even prevent the pain from occurring again.
Spiritual Prayer
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”