I’ve been sick for a long time. Now, before you rush off to the store to pick up a nice get-well card, I’ll tell you that it’s not a constant thing. For many years, I’ve had on-again, off-again bouts of stomach trouble. I’ve been poked, prodded, and medicated, and once I go to the doctor next week, I’m sure a whole new round of fun will begin. And that’s okay with me; I think a person would have to be one meatloaf short of a potluck dinner to be as sick as I was a few weeks ago and want to repeat it.
Now, I’m fairly certain you didn’t come here to read of someone’s gastrointestinal difficulties, but I do have a point. There is nothing better than illness and pain to bring you closer to the Lord.
One evening as my family and I were enjoying dinner at a local restaurant, I became seriously ill. My wife, in-laws and the waiter wanted to call an ambulance, but I, in my infamous stubborn way, refused. Needless to say, while at the restaurant and subsequently at home, I did a lot of praying. And I believe my prayers worked.
I know that many people, when the going gets rough, begin to pray, whether they are a Christian or not. But for some, once the issue has passed (in some form or another), they go about their routine, giving God little if any thought. For me, though, my prayer was not only about getting better, although it was a ‘ginormous’ part of it. My illness had the potential to impede my ministry.
There have even been church services where, in the middle of delivering a message, I would have a flare-up. There have been times I needed to attend to some member of my congregation and was unable to do so. I believe this was the deciding factor in setting up a doctor’s appointment.
Throughout it all, though, the Lord has been with me, seeing me through. And while I don’t enjoy those moments of intense, unexpected and unpredictable pain, I am glad the Lord can use them to bring me closer to Him. He does this by giving me the grace to see me through those moments, as well as think of “something else,” some bit of Scripture or spiritual principle to occupy my mind. And the wealth of illustrative material it has given me is unbelievable.
So, what’s the point of all this? Never allow circumstances to get in the way of your Christian growth. Even during the worst of times, the Lord can show you what He is capable of doing. Early this morning, a member of my congregation passed into eternity. While his family, and others who have recently lost loved ones, will experience the hurt of such loss for the rest of their lives, it is now that God can truly show them what His grace is all about.
It is okay to hurt. It is okay to grieve. But never turn loose of the Master. Hold to Him when things are great, so you’ll know how to find Him when things fall apart. He will never let you down. Give Him the praise for seeing you through. Let someone know how much you love Him and how much He loves you. There are great opportunities in our lives, and we should take advantage of every one of them.
Now, I’m fairly certain you didn’t come here to read of someone’s gastrointestinal difficulties, but I do have a point. There is nothing better than illness and pain to bring you closer to the Lord.
One evening as my family and I were enjoying dinner at a local restaurant, I became seriously ill. My wife, in-laws and the waiter wanted to call an ambulance, but I, in my infamous stubborn way, refused. Needless to say, while at the restaurant and subsequently at home, I did a lot of praying. And I believe my prayers worked.
I know that many people, when the going gets rough, begin to pray, whether they are a Christian or not. But for some, once the issue has passed (in some form or another), they go about their routine, giving God little if any thought. For me, though, my prayer was not only about getting better, although it was a ‘ginormous’ part of it. My illness had the potential to impede my ministry.
There have even been church services where, in the middle of delivering a message, I would have a flare-up. There have been times I needed to attend to some member of my congregation and was unable to do so. I believe this was the deciding factor in setting up a doctor’s appointment.
Throughout it all, though, the Lord has been with me, seeing me through. And while I don’t enjoy those moments of intense, unexpected and unpredictable pain, I am glad the Lord can use them to bring me closer to Him. He does this by giving me the grace to see me through those moments, as well as think of “something else,” some bit of Scripture or spiritual principle to occupy my mind. And the wealth of illustrative material it has given me is unbelievable.
So, what’s the point of all this? Never allow circumstances to get in the way of your Christian growth. Even during the worst of times, the Lord can show you what He is capable of doing. Early this morning, a member of my congregation passed into eternity. While his family, and others who have recently lost loved ones, will experience the hurt of such loss for the rest of their lives, it is now that God can truly show them what His grace is all about.
It is okay to hurt. It is okay to grieve. But never turn loose of the Master. Hold to Him when things are great, so you’ll know how to find Him when things fall apart. He will never let you down. Give Him the praise for seeing you through. Let someone know how much you love Him and how much He loves you. There are great opportunities in our lives, and we should take advantage of every one of them.
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