Perspective with Pain

Prayers of desperation filled with pleas for mercy, healing, and strength are commonplace in the midst of physical struggle.

Questions of how long the pain will last, why I haven’t been healed, and what I should be doing to slow the progression or prevent future flares have been a common occurrence.

Ever since I can remember, chronic illness has been a part of my story.

Asthma, GI Dysmotility and Gastroparesis, POTS, Autoimmune disease, vertigo, memory issues, chronic fatigue, etc. are a normal part of life for me. Depending on the day, my symptoms can be very manageable to completely wiping me out.

Discouragement can set in rather quickly, if I am not prepared to fight with fervency to keep perspective. Here are some verses I remind myself in the midst of the struggle:

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Romans 5:3-5 “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

2 Corinthians 12:9-10  “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

I wish that I did this perfectly. Frequently, I am able to keep my focus where it needs to be, but there are those days where I get discouraged and allow fear and/or fatigue control. Giving in to pity parties and complaining, which aren’t at all aiding me, become natural and I try using my limited energy to fight it instead of allowing the Lord to be my strength.

I fight the struggle, using what little energy I have frivolously. Instead, I should be seeing the struggle as something to be grateful for, and seeing how the Lord is using it to make me more like Him. The Lord is so kind to use His word, wonderful friends, and my loving husband to point me back to the truth when I lose focus.

The truth is, all of this struggle has strengthened me. It has given me an empathy and understanding for others who have a chronic struggle in their life. Some of you struggle with health issues like me. However, others may have a chronic relational or emotional trial. God sees you, and He promises to strengthen you and uphold you (Isaiah 41:10) no matter what comes your way.

But dear one, the Lord doesn’t want us to focus on the struggle. Our perspective matters. If the first and greatest commandment is for us to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we are to spend all of the emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical strength we have for Kingdom purposes.

Don’t get me wrong, some days this means being laid up in bed with little physical strength. God has a purpose in this too. What can we do on days like this?

Pray. Use this time to pray for others who need your interceding for their lives.

Sing. Turn on some music that turns you toward the Lord. Worship Him. Thank Him for the many blessings in your life, and be specific about them.

Write. Journal your blessings. Write about ways you have seen God working thru your situation to bless your family or bless others.

Send. Send a text or a card to someone who you care about to thank them for being a part of your life. Tell them what you love about them and share a special memory between you.

Listen and/or Read the Bible and uplifting, inspirational, or educational books.

The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy(John 10:10) He seeks to get us so wrapped up in our circumstances that we become debilitated in our purpose of glorifying God. Let’s not focus on the flesh, the temporal, the things that will eventually pass away.

Romans 8:6 “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”

Colossians 3:1 “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

On those days when your flesh takes over, and you have felt like the apostle Paul in Romans 7:18 “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out,” do these three things:

Repent to the Lord and those who have been impacted by your rut

Rely on the Lord for your comfort and strength

Reach Out to others who are suffering with the purpose of their upbuilding through encouragement

Our struggles are not for nothing. Jesus Christ is magnified and glorified when we recognize our weakness, cry out for His strength, and tell others of the amazing things He is doing not in spite of, but because of this thorn in the flesh that we bear. Count it all joy, beloved!