Today was part two of a series with this title that our college pastor, Kyle Dunn is preaching through. Our bodies are so complex and crazy...and frankly the only way to describe it is fearfully and wonderfully made. Today we mentioned specifically what happens when you cut yourself and the innate process that your body goes through to stop the bleeding, and to heal the injury. But even though our bodies go through such complex processes on a daily basis, it is still very fragile. We are still vulnerable to sickness and disease....some of us more vulnerable than others.
2 Corinthins 4:16-18
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
I love what Paul has to say here. He recognizes that every human, regardless of health status, is wasting away. Our physical bodies were not meant to last forever. A pretty depressing thought to think that right now - as you read this - your physical self is declining. As someone who is chronically sick and progressively worsening, this is something that comes as no surprise. It's very easy for me to see my body not functioning...and for some this process happens prematurely, and some don't experience this until they're over 100! But wait - finish the verse! Our inner selves are being renewed every day. Just because our bodies may fail doesn't mean our spirits have to. As Christians, we have a reason for hope!! It would be indescribably depressing to think that this is all there is....but there is life through Christ after this. One day we will get bodily upgrades! There is a place after this Earth where there is no such thing as pain, hurt, scars, or tears. During my life on Earth I won't know what it's like to not be incapacitated by exhaustion, know the feeling of waking up with no pain, not having to plan my life around my energy level and limitations....but one day I will know what it's like!
What I most love about these verses are not just focusing on the future eternity with Christ...but that Paul is in no way belittling the suffering that is happening. Physical sickness is obvious, but it applies to emotional hurt as well. Having a loved one die, losing a treasured friendship, hearing words said during a fight...these are a big deal! And right now it may be enveloping your life and seem like your entire world is crashing down. AND THAT'S OKAY. Your tears, pain, and grief are warranted and worthy of the situation. There is nothing unspiritual about these things and they are part of the coping process. And while these things may feel like they take up so much of your life now, they are indeed not small in this lifetime....but they are small in your eternity.
This post is most definitely NOT to say that I have won this struggle. It is a daily struggle that I probably will never outgrow. This past month I have been in one of the worst flare ups of my life, complete with more panic attacks and pain than I care to mention, and in the past weeks I have successful if I could keep one meal a day down. It has thrown my world upside down, and I have just felt so lost...so out of control of my life. There have been days when I can't imagine having a "normal" job, getting through my internship this next year, and being able to be fully independent. But I have a renewed hope - that this life is not all there is. One day I will be in Heaven with no pain or limitations, nothing holding me back from being with my Creator. And until then...all I can is hope, and look forward.
One blessing I have experienced lately is that I just received a book in the mail I have been longing for. It is written by Joni Eareckson Tada, who is such an inspiration to me. I've read a few of her books and her story is incredible, I highly recommend anything with her name on it. She had an accident as a teenager that left her quadriplegic, and her struggles are many that I can identify with. But through it all she hopes in the Lord and is waiting for the next life with Him, just as I am. Her latest is called Beside Bethesda, and it is 31 days towards a deeper healing. For many of us physical healing will not occur in our lifetime. And that's a whole can of worms, possibly for another time, but for some of us there is another plan, which includes sickness and disease. This book is for us...focusing on the story of the healing pool in Bethesda, and praying instead for peace with unanswered prayers, the joy of waiting on God, and the happiness that can happen only when our faith and hope is put in Christ. I am so anxious to get into this book and experience an inward healing, even if a physical one doesn't happen. I plan to blog about my journey through these next 31 days and I hope that you will join me, and glean something from His truths. There is so much to learn every day from Him...and even if you are not physically sick, we all have suffered emotional scars and hurts...and His word will always apply.
"Don't you quit. You keep walking, you keep trying, there is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon. Some come late. Some don't come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be alright in the end. Trust God and believe in the good things to come." - Jeffrey R. Holland
No comments:
Post a Comment