Chronic Illness & Fleeting Friends

#Cryoglobulinemia Awareness - Day 5
Friendship...
My good family/friends Debbie & Michael W. Smith wrote a song that just about says it all. 

The only thing I would add is making friends and keeping them is truly a challenge for those who live with chronic illness and pain.

It takes an incredible person to be steadfast and true. I live a different frequency than most...  I cherish and treasure my friends more than words can say. No matter if I have them for a day or years.

This song really gets to me because my husband, Paul, Debbie and Michael have been faithful friends for about 20 years. There are a few more and I can't imagine life without them. They are the real deal. They've walked through the fire, storms, and valleys. They never give up. They are FAITHFUL. If you find one friend like this, on this side of Heaven, you are blessed.  If not, don't give up.    ...Pray.

Today's Daily Devotion

Today's Devotion is brought to you by prayer team member Bobbi Heffel

From Trial to Triumph

Luke 23:26-43

The Crucifixion

 ²⁶ As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷ A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. ²⁸ Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ ³⁰ Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’

   ³¹ For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

 ³² Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. ³³ When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. ³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.  And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

 ³⁵ The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”

 ³⁶ The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar ³⁷ and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

 ³⁸ There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

 ³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

 ⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

 ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

 ⁴³ Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

John 19:25-27

Behold Your Mother

 ²⁵ Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” ²⁷ and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Matthew 27:45-50

The Death of Jesus

 ⁴⁵ From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. ⁴⁶ About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi    lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

 ⁴⁷ When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

 ⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. ⁴⁹ The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

 ⁵⁰ And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 

Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation that is out of control, unbearable, painful.  Sometimes we feel beat down and ready to give up. We have been hanging on to the last knot in our rope and Friday just won’t get here soon enough. What do we do? How do we go on? 

We follow the example of Jesus. The pain he endured on the cross was unbearable but he knew the Father had a purpose in it. Jesus endured the pain while still thinking of his mother’s needs and making arrangements for her future needs. He had physically been beaten to beyond recognition yet he didn’t hold malice toward the ones who attacked him. Better yet, he asked for forgiveness for the ones that had abused him. While hanging on to humanity and the life left in his body he never called upon the armies of angles at his disposal to rescue him. He lived out that situation knowing that was what he was born for and, that there was a great purpose in it. 

Whatever you are going through God is there with you in the midst of it. As out of control as it seems, he knows about it and he is in control of it. He will use it to refine you and bring you closer to him, if you allow him to. Remember that you aren’t the only one hurting. Reach out to others and help them however you can. Forgive the ones that have hurt you and are currently hurting you. Hang on until God tells you otherwise. We don’t always know why he created us, the task he has for us, or the prosperity he has for us around the next corner. We do know he loves us and we can trust him. “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 29:10-12)

Today’s Prayer

Father, here we are at the holiday season. Everything is decked out for Christmas and everywhere we look hearts and faces are aglow. As wonderful as this time of the year is it can leave us feeling lonely and filled with pain. Lord I pray for those of us who need your loving touch, a fresh filling of your joy, that we would experience your presence anew. Lord, take these things that grab us, hold us or bind us and put them in perspective so that we may leave them at your feet. Holy is you name! You are worthy to receive all glory, power and honor! Thank you for all you have done on our behalf and all you are still doing. Merry Christmas! We love you too! Amen

All scripture used today is from the New International Version 1984 (NIV1984) http://www.biblegateway.com/

Our Darkest Hour May Be God's Finest Moment

God is a mystery.
Wouldn't it be great if Nick Vujicic's arms and legs miraculously grew, if I was cured of this painful blood disease, if no more children had to suffer from abuse, cancer and neglect?

God is in control even though we live in a fallen world where bad things happen to good people. I do not believe this was His perfect plan but when the choice to sin and disobey His direction occurred there was a price to pay and consequences to endure. Why God allows one to be healed and another not despite faithful prayers is a mystery we may never understand but let's take a look at a few possiblities.

Suffering
As it applied to suffering, Peter understood this, "Those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good" (1 Pet. 4:19). We tend to doubt the sovereignty of God in difficult times, especially when things do not go the way we think they should.

Wouldn't it be great if Nick Vujicic's arms and legs miraculously grew, if I was cured of this painful blood disease, if no more children had to suffer from abuse, cancer and neglect? Even so, I know that Jesus changed the world more through His suffering than he did through His miracles. Jesus said, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead" (Luke 16:31). Yes, but God, wouldn't your miraculous intervention show your power in such a way that souls would be saved and the world changed forever? Didn't you say that we would do even greater things in your name than you did while you were here on earth... What are we waiting for? This I wonder in the darkest hours... of emergency room visits, when a child disappears, when unfavorable test results come in...

I suffered for three long years not knowing what was wrong with my body. The need to know what I'd done wrong to lose God's love and the notion that I would be better off dead than alive consumed me until I turned my back on all that I knew and descended into the pit of despair, making one terrible choice after another. I thought that God abandoned me but couldn't blame him since I felt worthless, unlovable and broken.

God asked me to trust Him
I wanted proof in signs and wonders but had to learn that faith is being "certain of what we do not see" (Heb. 11:1). God asked me to trust Him and embrace the sufficiency of His grace so He could become the God of my mountaintops as well as my valleys. I found His grace in suffering... I asked, if there was ANY other way... The drops of His saving blood started with that prayer and we've stood strong and courageous ever since, enduring for the "joy set before" (Heb. 12:2) .

Apply!
What does this mean for me? How do I apply these truths to my life, my challenges, my disappointments, my unanswered prayers, my circumstances... Are my afflictions purposeful? I may never understand but I will choose to cling to His word and follow Jesus because the joy of the Lord is my strength! Three times Paul requested to be healed of his "thorn in the flesh." But God said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9). It was a messenger of Satan, sent to harass him. So Paul decided to boast of his weaknesses, that Your power may rest upon him and be shown through him. I'm learning to be content no matter what. Content with weaknesses, hardships, pain, insults, and sickness; because Your word says, "When I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10) and sometimes wellness isn't the absence of illness but a wholeness in your heart that only He can bring.

Friend, it's not always that simple, is it? It's a daily process of laying down my life and taking up the cross of Christ. Satan is at work here but God is too. The thorn is not just the work of Satan to kill, steal and destroy. It is the work of God to save because He will turn everything around for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Why was Paul awarded with this thorn? “To keep me from being too elated;" "to keep me from exalting myself," NASB, or: "to keep me from becoming conceited," NIV by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from exalting myself.” In Luke 22:31-32 (NIV), "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. (32) But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." Wow, Paul, Job, Peter and the list goes on — God permitted Satan to afflict these righteous servants, yet He turns the affliction for good purposes. I do not get it; however, I believe that nothing will happen to me that does not first go through God's screen of love.

Do we get too full of ourselves?
Seriously, don't we get too full of ourselves? Maybe my disease is just that-allowed to keep me from thinking I'm in charge, or that I do not need God that I can rely on myself and "get her done." I use to think God was too busy -- I would just go to Him with the big stuff I couldn't handle. Well He fixed me on that one. God cares about every detail of my life. Like any good parent He desires to be included in everything. No pride and self-exaltation here--because that always comes before the fall. God pulled me out of that pit and I have no plan to return. I'm seeking the healer more than the healing and His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven!

Alister McGrath in Mystery of the Cross (Zondervan, 1990) wrote,

"God is active and present in his world, quite independently of whether we experience him as being so. Experience declared that God was absent from Calvary, only to have its verdict humiliatingly overturned on the third day."

Let God be God
Our darkest hour may be God's finest moment, as it was for Jesus on Calvary's Cross. YES, pray for relief. Satan delights in our suffering and he must be resisted. God will hear and do what is best. Let God be God. Hebrews 11 says, "By faith some escaped the edge of the sword (34) and by faith some were killed by the sword (37). By faith some stopped the mouths of lions, and by faith others were sown asunder. By faith some were mighty in war, and by faith others suffered chains and imprisonment... It may not always turn out as we want or hope.

Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV)
(12) I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (13) I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

The real miracle
God doesn't always calm the storm but the real miracle for us is to be calm in the storm. Our deepest need isn't for quick relief from our present storms. Paul said that Christ crucified was foolishness to the Greeks, a stumbling block to the Jews, but to those who are called it is the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:23). It appears to me that God thinks humility is more important than comfort; salvation more important than having our way; and reliance on Him more important than freedom from pain. Salvation, peace, grace, mercy, even balance and discipline are gifts He offers but it is up to us to reach out and receive them.

It is well with my soul
So I've made the choice to trust Him so circumstances will NOT overwhelm me. I will keep my eyes on Jesus no matter the storm and be consumed with God and God alone! I will pray without ceasing, enjoy peace no matter what and trust in all His ways. It's a deep need we all have in the midst of adversity. To walk in power and strength even if we have to use a wheelchair. My faith helps me to not only endure my weaknesses but to thrive in them because of the power of His love. And I can honestly say, "It is well with my soul especially if my darkest hour could be His finest moment because when I wanted to hear yes and all I got was a no--I could still believe! And that is the miracle of faith.
Be a light in the darkness, I dare you... especially and in spite of your challenges that is the miracle of faith!