Short-term loss, long-term gain:

It's really odd.
I have known my friend all of my adult life.  We have raised our children, played, worked, and grown old together.  We didn't plan it, but both of us checked in yesterday for total knee repacement surgery.  We are in two didfferent hospitals, two different surgeons, each with their own ideas on how things should be done.
Bottom line, though, they cut out the old and put in the new.  My buddy is a veteran of a number of orthopedic surgeries.  He says this one, from the viewpoint of pain, etc., is the worst.
I won't argue.
So, why do two guys--reasonably sane--who were able to walk into the hospita,l volunteer to have a procedure done that requires us to be hospitalized, makes us hurt, and exposes us to complications that could be life threatening?  Not everyone will agree with this reasoning--and that's ok--but, it comes down to short-term discomfort that will result in long-term benefits.    My friiend and/or I could be wrong about our calculations; we don't think so, but even if we are, the basic principle is the same.
To an infinitely greater degree the Apostle Paul puts it this way:
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present timeare not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us."  (Romans 8:18)  Don't sell-out short.hh