Three times Paul prayed that his thorn in the flesh would be taken from him. The Lord answered with, "my grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness." I have always been thankful for "down times" when the Lord has set me (or laid me) down on the couch or bed for rest, to recover from overload on the body. As I think back, several times when I've run a fever, the warmth and high temperature caused me to thank the Lord that He was letting my body battle the sickness out of me! God always brings us through. Joy truly does come in the morning. Without these times of pain and weakness, where would be the ability to feel someone else's sorrow or pain? There was a time that I had the idea that Christians would be kept from tragedy and pain. I had bought into a false teaching that believers should never suffer adversity (some even believe, never suffer sickness). Scattered throughout the whole of Scripture we are given instances where brethren are in adversity and we are told to "remember" them (Hebrews 13:3). Please forgive me for not putting in all the references. I am simply sitting here, in the dark, tapping on the keyboard and am reluctant to turn on lights and possibly wake my sweetie.
This "down time" I really do need extra prayer. When the pain is at its worst, I plead with the Lord to make it subside or to take it away all together. He always answers, it always subsides for a time. Sometimes it will be for a couple hours, lately for about 1/2 hour until another "surge" comes. I really do not mind knowing that something is brewing in there (whether in my tooth or sinus, somewhere) I am just thankful that the Lord sustains through each instance. I do pray for a little sleeping time and He has given almost three hours, in the beginning of each night. At this time I can only sleep sitting up but am so thankful for those few hours. Today I will see the dentist and they'll do some x-rays.
In the meantime, I am reminded of the passage when Jesus foretold Peter that he was going to deny his Lord. Jesus said that Satan had desired that he may sift Peter as wheat. "but I have prayed for thee, that thy strength fail not; when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Peter did go through that terrible time of denial and penitence (his was one of the worst spiritual battles). He certainly DID strengthen the brethren when he came out on the other side! Victory! Perhaps I have the opportunity to be a better wife, daughter, sister and friend because the Lord is taking me through a time of pain. It is amazing the things you think about when you are sitting in the dark. I am thankful that the Lord of light is right here beside me. Aren't you?
If you are going through hardship of spirit or body right now. I hope, first of all, that you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior. Then know that He brings ALL things into our lives for a reason. Without some of these battles we would go astray perhaps. A verse in Psalm 119, "before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy Word." The Lord is good to us ALWAYS, no matter whether in adversity or in a day when the path is perfectly clear. I am praying that it, first, makes me more empathetic. My poor hubby suffers from a deviated septum, therefore experiences much sinus pain and almost constant pressure. Tonight I helped him with extremely hot compresses, as I was experimenting with them on my own head; this I should have been doing all along (I have, many times when he has had migraine in the past). It took personal pain to make me more sympathetic. If this is what it takes, Lord, bring it on.
"Lord, please make me the wife you want me to be," that is my daily prayer and has been for 32 years. This is just one other means for Him to do just that. I am so thankful.
I'm glad you stopped by the Hill. I hope you have a beautiful day.
