The Silent Sufferer Part 2: Why does my chest hurt?!

I remember back to my high school days when my chest pains all began. I could not tell you why there was a tightening happening but it was. Fast forward to college, my chest continued to hurt, after going to the doctor and being referred to a specialist to see if there were serious problems with my heart, I was asked to wear a heart monitor. This heart monitor would track my heartbeat. When I felt a tightening in my chest there was a button I needed to press on the monitor to track it.

Well, after experiencing real pain, talking to doctors and being on the monitor there still was no diagnosis. No one could figure out why my chest hurt. I was distraught because I just wanted the pain to stop. I could not remember when it exactly began but I knew I was living with this on-again-off-again pain.

The day I had an "aha" moment.

One day I was stressed about school, maintaining my GPA and keeping my scholarship money. I was keeping my stresses between myself and my mom, and not allowing others into my pain that could potentially help me too. Guess what? My chest starts hurting. In that moment I discovered that my chest pains were stress-related. Wow! So every time, I was stressed about life, school, grades or a lack of sleep my chest would start to tighten.

I was determined to not let stress kill me. God began to flood my memories with what He said about me. He started telling me who He created me to be. This person He purposed me to be was not full of doubt, worry, stress, anxiety or fear.

He told me that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14

He said He knows the plans He has for me, plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

He made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:13

After meditating on God’s love letter to me, why would I believe anything else? Once I internalized the truth and dispelled the lies, my chest pains disappeared. I have not experienced chest pains anymore.

What’s making your chest hurt? Your eye twitch? Your head hurt? Back spasm? This list could really go on and on. You get my point.

What's causing you to hurt? Share in the comments below.