WEEK FOUR
I have been thinking lately how our physical health is taken for granted. For example, I don’t give my health a second thought…until I get sick, or hurt. Then it’s a different story. I become self-absorbed, whiney, and sometimes (by my own admission) hard to be around. But I had one life defining moment. A few years ago, I somehow pinched a nerve off in my lower back. And for NINE months I was in extreme pain, hardly able to walk or function. I found myself becoming somewhat self-absorbed until one day in my prayer closet I cried out to my Lord. I repented of my selfish ways and committed myself to push through the pain and continue to live like I wanted to, asking the Lord for supernatural strength to do so. And after trying many ways to relieve the pain, I finally relented and had back surgery to push the nerve back into place. That took care of it. But for a while after there was an underlying fear in me that I would re-injure my back. Once again, I had to ask the Lord for the strength to overcome this fear. As glad and relieved that that long nine months is over, I have never forgotten how it must be for those people that live with chronic illness/pain. For most of them, there is no treatment or surgery to cure the pain. They can manage it sometimes, but it’s never gone. I can’t imagine how exhausted they must be. So this week, I am challenging you (and me) to ask the Lord to point out someone that is living with any kind of chronic illness or pain. When you do find someone pray for ways to reach out to them, to help them in some physical way, or just to sit and chat with them, and find out their story. Encourage them to continue to serve God wholeheartedly, tell them who they are in Jesus; a beloved child of the King who has unmeasurable value. And if you’re the one who is chronically ill or in chronic pain, take this week to challenge yourself to give your illness/pain back to the Lord. Speak out loud your commitment to continue to do the good works of our Lord even through your illness/pain.
Key Scripture: Galatians 6:9-10
Weeks Focus: Chronically Ill/in pain
Digging Deeper: Matthew 10:7-8; 25:36-40
Prayer Launch: Oh Father God, Jehovah Rapha, my healer. Thank you Lord for your perfect creation. Father, I am mindful today of all those who are chronically ill or in pain. I pray you lay your healing hand over them. Soothe their minds, spirits and souls. Father, give them peace, your perfect peace that the world does not understand. May they not feel alone and empty. Revive the spirits that have been down trodden with illness or pain. I pray that their spirits overwhelm their physical ailment in this moment and that the light of who you are settles in new ways within them. And Lord, give me more compassion for the ill. I ask for more of Your love and compassion over them. May any words I speak to them be words of love and encouragement. And Lord, if they just need to be heard may I lend a willing ear to them this week.
Practical Actions:
- Go buy some little note cards
- Send one to anyone you know who is chronically ill or in pain. Let them know you are thinking of and praying for them
- If you know anyone in pain or illness well, call them and offer to do something for them to help alleviate their stress
The Cracked Pot... 