posted
Thank you- all of you- for your compassionate and insightful input. As I'm a sick, single, working mom, I don't know when I can post again, so If it's not for a while, MERRY CHRISTMAS! Love, Ellen
-------------------- Ellen _ _ ___________ _ _ lyme disease dysautonomia Chiari malformation anxiety Posts: 72 | From Birmingham, AL | Registered: Dec 2013
| IP: Logged |
posted
My heart goes out to you! TF expressed beautifully how I read these scriptures. I've been around many types of Christians--some who blame the sufferer (not enough faith), some who kind of spiritually wring their hands and have no idea how to reconcile suffering and a loving God...and some who dig down deep and draw spiritual nourishment from Christ, the vine. They see that suffering has a purpose, whether it is to teach us, to help us become more holy, or to help us draw nearer to God.
Which sounds really odd to say! But it's the kind of thing Paul was expressing in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9:
"For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead."
Pain and suffering are throughout the Bible. I love to read and meditate on the Psalms, because so many of them express what I feel, like Psalm 13: "How long, O Lord?" and then lead us to praise even though the situation is not resolved. Psalm 31 is beautiful too. So many we could post here!
He promises us peace in him, but trouble in the world:
"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
--John 16:33
I love to read Hebrews 11--verse 13: "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth."
They died IN faith--not because of a lack of faith! They died not yet having received the things promised.
and read on--faith produced many incredible things for some, but many awful things resulted for others (verses 35b-39): "Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised..."
Consider 1 Peter 1:6-7: "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
I love this quote from Kevin DeYoung:
"Trust...does not mean hoping for the absence of pain but believing in the purpose of pain. After all, if my almighty God is really almighty and my heavenly Father is really fatherly, then I should trust that he can and will do what is good for me in this sad world."
It makes me look for something deeper, it begs me to draw my strength on Christ and not this world. Circumstances lie to us. They don't tell us the truth of God's character--we have to see his character first and then look at our circumstances through that lens.
Dekrator48
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18239
posted
Welcome to lymenet, Merry!
I did check out your blog a little and plan to look at it more when I get a chance. I read that your husband has chronic lyme.
Thanks for sharing, Merry.
Praying for everyone.
-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think that we just live in a fallen sinful world and disease is just part of it. But God is still able!! Hang in there!! Posts: 37 | From NJ | Registered: Nov 2013
| IP: Logged |
Please keep in mind that your physical body is but a fleeting amount of time.
Your spiritual self and soul will be invited to God's everlasting kingdom where you will receive his love and never feel physical pain anymore.
I find comfort in knowing this.
TheWino
-------------------- Wrinkles only go where the smiles have been --J. Buffett
All of my replies should not be taken as medical advice as they are my opinions only and I am not a physician. Posts: 55 | From Florida | Registered: Oct 2012
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic