There is a small percentage of the population that will become chronically ill with so many diseases that it feels like a tsunami has hit. I am not talking waves, I am talking wipe-out tsunamis. What if God allows this in our lives to “do a new thing” in our lives, allowing the destruction of this depth of illness to wash away the past baggage that holds us down?
This twisted my thinker this morning. It started with today’s Bible verse:
“This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” ~ Isaiah 43:16, 18-19 NIV
I have been astounded by the leveling of destruction that multiple chronic diseases have brought on my life. I am aware that it is not only a physical battle but spiritual warfare.
I have moments of my head bobbing up and down through the waves of the healing journey I have chosen (and some forced upon me). There are moments it feels like I am drowning and other moments I feel like I am safely in the hands of the Lord while He sits with me in HIS life raft.
As I move through this healing journey, I have watched myself freeze in fear at times. Fear is not from God so I ask Him to show me how and why He is moving me through this journey. I ask Him to show me some kind of timeframe so that I know there is an end to this season in my life. God is faithful and shows me daily the incredible progress my physical body has made and my walk with Him has taken.
Lately, He has also shown me that I am healing from past baggage. It is the past that is the fertilizer for my future. It stunk, no doubt. It was also an important element of my growth as a Christian. Humm-diddly-do. I still don’t like the discomfort and pain of that healing process.
As I trust God and hold on tightly to Jesus as the tsunami finishes crashing down on my life through illness and other destructive forces, I am learning about the actions I have to take. I cannot sit on my safe prayer lifeboat and expect it not to capsize, I have to take action as well. God is perfectly capable of miracles, but sometimes His miracle is in our choosing action, forward movement.
Look at the warning sign. The person is RUNNING. He/she has to create movement. We are warned over and over again that this life will come with troubles and we have to create the movement to flee from the tsunami.
God gives us the warning signs. He gives us the ability to activate our brains and create movement. He gives us answered prayer to give us hope and faith. As long as we are still breathing, He is providing for us here on earth.
Fight, Flight, or Freeze
Some people flee in a crisis or they may fight. Others freeze. I am a freezer!! I get stuck easily and have to work extra hard to create movement. Yet God has given me the will to live and rise above the difficulties that illness has brought on my life so I also am a fighter at times.
God gives us everything we need. He has given me a vision of faith and hope through His Word and through His past actions on my life. He has given me a brain to realize that I freeze instead of fleeing. He has given me a brain to figure out some health stuff so that I can fight. My needs are being met in abundance.
What Does That Look Like In Daily Life
I will choose to finish out the tsunami, creating more action and movement, not only prayer. Chronic illness does not have to be the destination. It can be part of a healing journey that includes healing of the soul.
Be in prayer, not despair. Be in action, not traction.
In practical terms, that means, I still need to finish a health protocol that has done wonders for my health. I still have to accept that my body is not yet ready to get up and run a marathon. I still have to take really good extra care of myself to be able to get out of the sea, on to dry land, and adapt to where God has chosen to place me after the tsunami. I choose to trust in His relocation plans for my life, whatever that looks like.
I wholeheartedly believe in constant prayer, because God tells us so. Through scripture, He also points us to actions, to movement, forward movement. Again today He provided scripture to remind me of that.
To Be Stuck Or Not To Be
Sometimes we are given tsunamis in our lives to redirect us when we are stuck and sometimes don’t even know it. Sometimes it takes a tsunami to wash away the past out of our current mindset so we can clearly see the new things He is springing up in our lives that can glorify Him if we will simply let it be.
It does not wipe away the past but it sure can clean it up and use it for the glory of God. As Christians, we have been washed clean by the blood of Christ. We are not defined by our pasts, we are defined by who we are in Christ. I find great comfort in that.
This has fascinated me today. He always does as I stay in scripture.
May you be blessed with scripture and revelations that help you on your healing journey,
Maribeth Baxter, MBNC (Certified Mind-Body Nourishment Coach)
