Glory Seed Devotional’s, 2017: Anticipating and Experiencing Jehovah-Jireh...
Embracing the darkness...
Shalom!
“Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday… For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease… Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.” (Psalm 91:6, 3, 23:4, NLT)
Over the last couple of days life has taught me a valuable lesson, one I’ll not forget. I found myself running away from the darkness associated with pulmonary fibrosis and everything that goes along with it. It wasn’t that way at first, in the summer of 2011 when I was first diagnosed with it, on a bike ride I received assurance from God not to be afraid that He had my life under control. For the past six years with a few minor adjustments in my life I was okay. But then came last month and as it became increasingly difficult for me to catch my breath thinking somehow God was no longer in control of my life I panicked and pulmonary fibrosis went from a positive force in my life and relationship with Him to a negative force “out to get me”.
Then last night while reading an article titled “Why am I Disabled” in the “Beyond Suffering Bible NLT: Where Struggles Seem Endless, God’s Hope is Infinite”* I read something that opened my eyes to what I was doing to myself and God. “Ultimately, my trust is rooted in God’s character— his goodness and his faithfulness. Although he permitted disability to touch my life, I can rest assured that he will continue to walk with me through this journey. His promises— of eternal life; of a renewed, glorified body; of fellowship with him and his family forever— will be fulfilled. Knowing this gives me hope for the future, joy and peace in the present, and strength for the road ahead.”
It is my sincere Hope and Prayer that you or a loved one are not on a journey with a disease/disability from which there is no return but if you are as difficult as it will be to embrace it and face it head on Trusting God to Light its path with the Light of Jesus and the assurance the difficulties yet to face will be Strengthened by a Love so Complete, Powerful, and Unmatched anywhere in this life or the next! In another part of the same article quoted above we are told how we can be sure of God’s continuing Love and Support. “God’s faithfulness in the past gives us— and me— tremendous hope for the future. If I want to be reassured that it will all work out in the end for me, I need only to look back on key times in my life when God has proven himself faithful.”
In retrospect, there are times when I hesitate to tell my story because there are those who try to “fix” me and that is well and good but there are times we need to leave the “fixing” to God and just give support and encouragement. One of the “things” God calls us to do for Him and each other is to be care-givers and believe what we embrace God Empowers!
“May God be merciful and bless us. May his face smile with favor on us.” **
Grace and PEACE,
Gary
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“Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.”
*Joni and Friends Inc.., Beyond Suffering Bible NLT: Where Struggles Seem Endless God's Hope Is Infinite (Kindle Locations 75472-75475). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
**Psalm 67:1, New Living Translation
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