The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life Psalm 121:7
In their classic book Boundaries, Henry Cloud and John Townsend make a great analogy about the difference between “hurt” and “harm”. The give the analogy of going to the dentist. This was brought to mind recently when I went to the dentist to get a crown. The process included removal of a filling, then preparation for a crown.
My dentist is great, and she is ably assisted by a fine caring staff. However, the process involved some pain and a lot of discomfort. Nonetheless, the process was important for my general health. In fact, dental problems and/or poor dental hygiene are responsible for a number of significant health problems, including possible heart attacks and even brain infections.
Therefore, the Boundaries point was well made- some hurt was necessary to prevent greater harm. Sometimes we must do the hard things to avoid the catastrophic things, both physically and emotionally. So, that tough love that must be exercised with a loved one may save them from irreparable harm.
Great life lesson.
Prayer: Lord, help us to see the value of some pain in order to prevent harm, Amen
Reflections of a Counselor 