Issue #10
All was well until one day…
during
the
MCO,
By: Deborah Chow
I had been having some discomfort on my foot for a couple of days but did not pay much attention to it. As the pain and discomfort intensified, I massaged and applied ointment. I guessed it was all too late as my foot was inflamed and swollen by the next morning. The pain was excruciating, and I could not even walk for a week! Simple tasks such as getting a cup of water was just so difficult.
Then a verse came to my mind “remember what is good!” and that is found in Philippians 4:8 which says “Finally my brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praise-worthy, meditate on these things.”
One morning as I sat staring at my aching foot, a thought flashed through my mind ‘a thorn in the flesh’. The apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:7 that a thorn in the flesh was given to him – probably referring to the persecutions or hardships that he faced. My thorn was not in that sense but rather a discomfort, inconvenience and a nagging pain because of a swollen foot. Then, images of people who had a thorn in the flesh came to my mind. Some had recovered and some are still struggling in their predicament.
Feeling incapacitated myself, I began to think of the good things that happened. I remembered Mutton Biryani (just a few days before swollen foot, I tried my hand on cooking mutton biryani) – I recount the encouraging comments received, I remembered my husband’s happy expression. I also remembered those who cooked for me during that period, then a smile was edged on my face! My heart felt better and comforted.
At that moment, I could to a certain extent identify with Paul and many others as they each go through the thorn in their flesh. I could understand their feeling of being ‘useless’ and incapacitated by their circumstance. It is not being negative or pessimistic – people going through pain, hardship, sickness does experience being useless and restricted mobility. As I sat there, I wondered, is there an antidote to such emotional feelings?
Indeed, I think this is a good antidote for all of us to practice whenever we are overwhelmed by a thorn in the flesh. By shifting our focus from the thorn to good memories, we are actually learning to count the goodness of God in our lives.
第10期
行动管制令(MCO)期间的一切都很 安好，直到某天……
文：周慧丽 | 译：陈芊瑾
我的脚连续几日都感觉不适， 但我并没有太在意。随着疼痛和不 适感加剧，我抹了点药膏按摩。但 已经太迟了，因为我的脚在第二天 早晨已经发红肿胀。真是痛苦极了！ 我甚至一整个星期都无法走路！如 喝水般简单的任务，也十分困难。
然后，我想起了一句话：“记 住好的事情！” 取自腓立比书4：8 ， “弟兄们，我还有未尽的话：凡是真 实的、可敬的、公义的、清洁的、 可爱的、有美名的，若有什么德行， 若有什么称赞，这些事你们都要思 念 。”
一天早上，当我坐着凝视我那 疼痛的脚时，脑海中闪过一道“肉体 上的刺”。使徒保罗在哥林多后书 12:7中说， “有一根刺加在他的肉体 上。” 这可能比喻他面临的迫害或 困难，而我所经历的刺略有不同， 乃是因脚肿胀而带来的不适、不便 和痛苦。随之，脑海中浮现了那些 身上长着刺的人的画面。有些已康 复，有些仍在痛苦中挣扎。
感觉无力的我，开始回想起以 前所经历的好事。我想起了Biryani 羊肉（就在脚肿的前几天，我尝试 自己煮了Biryani羊肉）– 我数算那些 令人鼓舞的赞赏，还想起我丈夫脸 上愉悦的表情，我更忆起了在那段 时间为我做饭的人，之后我的脸上 露出笑容！我的心情顿时变好了， 也更舒适了。
我想，当我们所有人都被肉体 上的刺困扰时，这个回忆往事的方 在那一刻，我知道在某种程度 式的确是个好解药，通过转移注意 上，保罗与许多人一样，都经历着 力，将我们从荆棘转向美好回忆， 长在他们肉体上的刺。我能理解他 实际上我们正在学习数算生活中上 们的无助和面对困境的无力感。这 不是消极或悲观，但正经历着痛苦、 帝的恩惠。 困境和疾病的人确实会感觉自己的 无能和行动上的限制。当我坐在那 里时，心想：“是否有一种解药可以 解决这些情绪呢？”