2 Cor 12:9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.NIV
In 1990 I came down with a case of pneumonia. Then in 92' I had a serious case of High Altitude Pulminary Edema. As a result of this my lungs have become my thorn in the flesh. I have had prayer for healing in this area a # of times and by God's sovereign will, He has chosen to allow me to deal with this. So each year I come down with a serious case of Bronchitis and it takes weeks and even months for it to go away. It zaps away energy and hinders me from physical activity.
So here's what I have learned. ONe is to be smarter and accept that I am susceptible to this and take precautions to build up my immunity. The second is to accept that I have to slow down and get the rest I need to recover. Not that I'm "old" but I'm not a spring chicken anymore either. So I have to find that balance of acceptance and yet still have faith that God could heal my lungs at any moment if he would choose to.
The third lesson is to have empathy for those that have long-term ailments where they have no control of it. Healthy people can tend to be insensitive to people that have prolonged illnesses. Finally I have come to grips with the concept of dependency on God's presence and power to continue to function daily when I struggle with these lung issues. To find his strength carrying me through the day vs my own strength.
Can we truly be "thankful" when we suffer? I think we can!! May his power be perfected in all of us!
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3 comments:
Yes we can rejoice during suffering. wow Dad, you have such a great heart and i'm so blessed to have been raised by you. i'm praying for you,
love,
wade
We've gotten so far away from the concept that the Creator of the universe and us is indeed sovreign. He loves and knows what will work to bring about His best for us. You hit the nail on the head, KIrk. Be ready, but rely from day to day on what He gives each day....grace. Thanks for sharing your life and all with us.
We'll just keep praying!
Julie Brown
Pastor Kirk, I understand what you are going through, and I applaud your ability to see into your own shortcomings. I fought pneumonia my first winter in Colorado, and recently I went to Keystone for a weekend and found myself not as equipped as I thought to deal with that altitude.
My late wife's battle with lung cancer also brought home your third point. Even as she struggled, and I helped her through what I could, I felt a level of peace and of purpose that I could not quantify.
Now after her passing, that feeling is still there at times, but it's more infrequent. I feel more fearful and insecure, an it creates difficulty for me.
Your post was helpful in that it showed me that I can face my limitations and shortcomings head on, without retreating into fear and insecurity.
Thanks very much.
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