I Got You

Last summer I started having problems with my right shoulder.  I thought it would go away, but after several months, the pain intensified and I could not perform certain motions without pain.  My pain did not allow me to reach up without pain.  I could not place my hand above my waist when reaching behind my back.  By the end of the year, it was evident that I could not continue and I had damaged something.  After going to my primary care physician, I was given a referral for physical therapy because I had some damage to my rotator cuff.  My first appointment with the therapist consisted of observing my motion and the lack thereof. The therapist pulled my arm in many direction and most of the time I was in pain.  She stated to me, “You are stiff” and I was because of my limited mobility.   In my first session, she laid out an 8-week plan to return my mobility and gave me some exercises start at home right away.  

When I returned for my next session, I began by doing the same home exercises with a few more added exercises to my regimen.  To be honest, my initial thoughts were "I can do this at home instead of leaving work early, taking leave, commuting from downtown DC and paying a co-pay".  I was feeling like this will be a waste of time until the therapist said, "Veronica I am going to work with you after you finish those exercises".  I had no idea what "work with you" meant, but I would soon find out. I laid on the table; she took my arm and began to "work with me".  It was very painful as she pulled my arm, rotated my arm, rubbed my shoulder, applied ice and electrical stimulation to the shoulder area.  Each session included pain and more pain as she worked to restore my arm.  I have a high pain tolerance, but I was almost in tears.  In one of the early sessions as she "worked with me", I thought I was going to jump off the table because it was so painful.

From the very first session until the 6th or 7th session, she would gently place my arm in a position and say, "Just let it go. I got you".  Most of the time, I was anticipating pain and I was not relaxing.  So her soft voice would help me relax.  From day one, I heard the Lord speaking to me with those words.  I was not putting it all together, but after my therapy session, I would learn why her words were resonating deep within me.  About a week six, I was feeling much better and experiencing more mobility and a lot less pain.  Although I still had pain reaching behind my back, I could reach up without pain and the aching was pretty much gone.  In my closing session she said, “Oh you are much better, do you feel this has worked”.  My answer was, “Yes!”  She conducted the same test from the first session and observed me.  She wrote notes and took some measurements of my ability to reach and compared them to the measurements from my initial session.  She then said, “You were really bound when you came, but you have really good movement”.  She provided me with more exercises to do at home and encouraged me to see a specialist if I felt I needed further attention.

As I stated, the words “Let it go” and “I got you” resonated with me, but I did not know why.  Well, a week or two after my therapy sessions ended, for some reason, a not so pleasant life event of my past came to mind as I was having a morning talk with the Lord.  As the thoughts came to my mind, I heard the words, “Let It go. I got you”.  I began to weep and cry unashamedly.  It was in that moment that I was able to let go of the effects of that event.  All because my Father had me, just as the therapist had a gentle hold off my painful arm, and worked within me.  I could fully rest in His healing power. 

Painful events are a sure part of our life experience and they cause us to be bound.  Some events will have a greater effect than others. Some will be more traumatic than others.  Perhaps, as you read this account of my life, you instantly recalled a painful event.  I say to you “Let It Go” because “Your Father has you”.  He has brought you to this moment to heal you.  Let go of the pain, shame, offense, deep hurt and all of the negatives of that event or events.  God has the healing balm and will apply it to that painful area, move it from you and you will be made whole.

That pain no longer has me.  I can recall it, but that pain no longer has me because I “Let It Go”.  Because of this God encounter, I am assured all the more that He’s Got Me and whatever unpleasant events that comes my way, I can “Let It Go”.  

Did you discover something you needed to let go as you read this blog entry?  Now, my journey is your journey, so let’s dialogue about this.

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