Scripture
“But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.'”
— Isaiah 43:1–2 (NKJV)
Pain May Visit the Body, But It Does Not Have Permission to Rule the Soul
Anyone living with sickle cell disease and indeed any chronic disease knows that pain can arrive without warning.
A normal day can suddenly become a battle.
There have been nights when the pain crept slowly into my bones, tightening its grip until every movement felt difficult. Sleep would disappear, and the quiet hours of the night stretched endlessly as my body struggled.
Those moments can feel like walking through deep waters, and the question was never just about physical strength.
You feel overwhelmed.
You feel fragile.
You wonder how long the storm will last. Fear often tries to follow. Thoughts would whisper:
Will this pass?
How long will this last?
Will my body hold on?
But over the years, one truth from Scripture has anchored my heart: God never promised we would never pass through the waters—He promised we would not pass through them alone.
Many times during pain crises, I have remembered the words of Isaiah:
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.”
Not if you pass through.
But when.
Painful seasons do come. But God’s presence also comes with them
There were nights when all I could do was whisper prayers between waves of pain. Sometimes I could not form long prayers or eloquent words.
Just simple cries:
“Lord, help me.”
“Lord, stay with me.”
And somehow, He always did.
Sometimes His help came through medication that eased the crisis.
Sometimes through rest that slowly returned strength.
Sometimes through the quiet assurance that my life was still in His hands.
That verse reminds me that even when suffering feels like fire, God’s promise still stands:
“When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned.”
Pain may pass through the body.
But it cannot consume the soul that belongs to God.
Every crisis I survived became another testimony that His promise is true.
The waters did not drown me.
The fire did not destroy me.
Because God was there.
Praise Declaration
Today I praise God for His presence in painful seasons. When the waters rose, He stayed with me. When the fire burned, His protection surrounded me. Even in sickle cell pain crises, His promise held me steady. I passed through the waters—but I was never alone.
Pain2Gain Signature
Suffering may write part of the story,
but faith writes the ending.
— Pain2Gain
