When Life Gets Put On Hold

Why Are We Allowed to Suffer?

I have been going through significant challenges lately. December was a very challenging month as I had to fly across the country to be with my mom - she passed away a few days after I arrived. While I was there, I pushed myself beyond my  physical limitations. I pushed past the pain and fatigue, even though I knew there would be repercussions.

I wanted to be a witness for God while I was there. I wanted to be strong and peaceful as my mom went to be with the Lord. It was such a blessing that her suffering was over, but she died in a great deal of pain. And I kept thinking

WHY??

It's in the Word

There are many examples in the bible of how God used difficult times to teach people various things. There are too many lessons to go over in this short post, but I have picked out a few that really impacted me.

 

To Teach Empathy

Sometimes God uses our suffering to teach us compassion. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 they praised Jesus, the Father of compassion, who comforted them so they could comfort others. I feel so much better when I talk to someone who also lives with chronic pain or fatigue. They can relate to my struggles and can feel empathy. I remember one time calling a crisis line; I was in so much pain and was not coping very well. The poor girl who answered the phone didn't know what to do with me. She didn't have any resources to give me. She felt useless and I felt alone. On the flip side, I have been blessed by helping others in pain. I have listened to their fears, believed them as they described what the were going through, and was humbled by their incredible gratitude. All because I chose to use my pain to help someone, instead of letting it consume me - WOW!

To Get Our Attention

When I first was injured, my walk with God was sporadic at best. I believed in Jesus but I had no clue how to live a victorious life. I saw Christians who were filled with such peace, but I didn't know how to access it. But I kept thinking - 

              I
                                 WANT
                                                               THAT! 

Part of the trouble was I kept trying to figure it out on my own. I was trying so hard to get close to God but I wasn't asking Him to help me! Crazy, right? Plus, I was busy, busy, busy! I was busy at work, I was busy with my friends, I was busy trying to get a business built. Apparently, I was even too busy for God! That's REALLY crazy! So why on earth would I be surprised when God finally had to get serious and put me out of commission? Let me stop right there and clarify -

• Do I feel like I'm being punished? NO
• Do I feel like God has forgotten about me? NO
• Do I wish I had paid attention to Him much sooner?

They say hindsight is 20/20. When I look back on those years and the road I was headed on, God HAD to do something drastic to get my attention, and I am very thankful that He did. I am a much better person now then I was back then. I have an amazing relationship with God and it is transforming me in ways I could not have foreseen! Call me crazy, but I'm grateful for the road He had led me down. Yes, I still have days when I hurt so badly I don't know how I will stand another minute of it. Which leads me to my next topic...

 

Pain Does NOT = Suffering

I have read about this concept many times. While I understood it in my head, I wasn't having great success making it play out in my life. I was suffering - horribly! Then the other day, after doing my bible study, I realized that while my pain was very bad that day, it wasn't causing me misery. My body hurt, but I felt joy. I thought -

It's finally happened... I have lost my mind!

But what I quickly realized was that when I spend time studying God's Word, in worship and in prayer, I feel better! When I think back to other times when I had joy a midst my pain, sure enough, it was during a time when I was spending quality time with God every day! I also realized was that when I am busy helping someone else through their pain, I forget mine. Isn't it amazing how that works?

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I hope that this has helped ease your suffering a little bit. If feel you would like to begin or perhaps restart your relationship with God, please pray with me. 

Lord, please come and live inside me. Please help me to be open to Your teaching, guidance and love. I pray that You would lead me to others who are suffering in pain, that I might be a light in their world. Help me to trust Your perfect plan for my life, and that you will work everything out for good. Thank You, Jesus, for being willing to live in this world, to endure suffering, so that I may live. You knew love, sorrow, temptation, pain and anguish. Because of this, I can come to You and know that You understand me. Thank You for hearing my prayers. In Jesus name, Amen.

Courage in the Face of Fear

Where are you being lead?

I have been living with more fear than I care to admit. My pain and fatigue issues have been crazy. Doing my daily bible study helps me greatly. Today I was lead to scriptures that deal with courage. I needed to counteract the fear that was trying to push its way in.

The war is in the mind

I love the song "Courageous" by Casting Crown.

In the war of the mind I will take my stand

So many times I have felt guilty for still living in fear. I thought I was being a "bad" Christian because I was not completely trusting God's plan for my life. What I realized is that there is a constant war going on in my mind, and I must continually choose who will win the battle. The choices are simple though not always easy. 

Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? (Romans 6:16)

Each time I feel fear creep up, I have a choice to make. Will I obey my fear and let it overshadow everything good in my life, or will I obey and trust God's Word.

Don't be afraid, for I am with you.

   Don't be discouraged, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you.

   I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

When I choose God, amazing things happen. I immediately feel more hopeful, peaceful, happy and stronger. Perhaps not physical strength, but mental fortitude. By choosing to believe God's promises, I feel better equipped to handle the storm raging inside my body.

Who will you serve?

You have a choice to make. You need to decide who you will believe, because that will determine who you will obey. You may think "it's not all that black and white". Truly, it is. Otherwise, our minds are divided and we spend our days going around the same fears and struggles over and over again. Until we make a stand and purposely choose to believe God, we are leaving ourselves open to attack. It is also not a one time decision. I must choose daily, sometimes hourly, to trust God's plan.

Doing battle

I used to bite my nails. I used to smoke. No matter how much I wanted to be free from these habits, it was a battle to deal with them. I still battle with my issues of using food for comfort (something I thought I had conquered but it has reared its ugly head again). I used to think I had to do it on my own.

Do you feel like you are battling against things in your life? We must remember, that we are not in this fight alone!

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. (Ephesians 6:11)

Satan will try to keep you in fear because that keeps you in bondage. It's time to break those chains and become warriors! We can have courage in the face of fear. We can stand firm, through our faith in God.

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Dear God, thank You for always being there for us, to strengthen us and keep us safe from the devil's schemes. We have the ability to put on Your full armor every day. Help us to do our part and then stand still and watch You go to battle for us. Then our victory will be for Your glory, and we will sing Your praise! In Jesus name, Amen.