I’ll never know the exact moment I injured my back, but the fallout of whatever errant twist or turn left me in excruciating pain. It is hard to be happy and free when our bodies are in agony. During times of crisis, feeling frustrated and angry can become our new normal if we don’t stay connected to God and His unfailing love.
I wonder about Moses. He was not a young man when God came calling for him to lead the Israelites through the desert. Likely, he was around 40 years old at the beginning of that trek. Many researchers say 30 is the physical peak for human bodies. After that our bodies begin a slow decline – yikes!
I don’t know for a fact but I’m fairly confident Moses had pain, physical and spiritual, as they walked the desert for those 40 years. Somehow, he remained steadfast. He carried on. I believe he was able to endure and overcome his pain with God’s love and the promise of the Holy Land and a new beginning.
There are many, many things we cannot control in our chaotic world. But one thing we can control is how we treat ourselves.
Moses lived an incredible life. He is an integral figure in the foundation of our faith. But it must have taken a toll on his human body. For any human, it would have been a lot to ask of a body to go into the desert for all that time leading people through treacherous conditions.
Even climbing the 7,500 feet to the top of Mt. Sinai is not a particularly easy feat. I wonder if Moses got tired. Did his back and feet hurt along the journey? Did he complain and throw up his hands in frustration? Or did he rest and take care of himself and then begin again? We will never know for certain, but my belief is that he must have taken time to care for himself because there is no other way he could have achieved all he did in his long life.
Compassion must start with ourselves. Are you kind to yourself when you are experiencing pain or suffering? Do you connect with God during challenging times?
It appears Moses was able to accomplish all he did because he kept God‘s guiding love close in his heart.
I pray your day is free of any kind of suffering. But if it is not, I pray you take time to slow down, breathe deeply and bring God’s compassionate love to the forefront of your heart.
– Tisha Tate Garcia, St. Luke’s Hospitality Team
