Biblical thinking leads us to Biblical actions
During chronic illness and pain, reclaiming sanity might be the priority of the moment. As we get our footing on sanity, we have a unique opportunity to look more deeply into the Kingdom of God while on our health journey. Our actions (and sometimes our faith) are tested to the utmost limits. With biblical thinking, we can measure our actions more accurately leading to the most unexpected miracles. This does not even seem possible to most while laying in bed helpless and have so many needs of our own. Using the opportunity of chronic illness/pain to explore possibilities that seem insurmountable might be the adventure of a lifetime. Time to get in, get healthy, get strong, and get going.
His mercies “are new every morning” – Lamentations 3:22-23
With chronic illness/pain, a lot of questions come up.
- Why?
- Why me?
- Why now?
- How come this particular illness?
- What did I do to deserve this?
- How long will this last?
- How will I afford to be this sick for this long?
- Which doctor do I trust with MY life?
- Do I have the strength to take on the responsibility of my own health when I am so ill?
- Why does he/she get healed and I am still so ill?
- How can I so faithfully take my medicine and take care of myself so well and not get better?
- Who will abandon me because of this illness?
- Is God abandoning me?
- How isolated can a person possibly get?
- How depressed can a person get before they give up?
- What kind of explanation can I give people who do not understand?
- Will anyone understand enough to faithfully pray for all the years that it takes?
- How do I pray for myself when I have no words left?
- Where do I find hope when I see none?
- How can I transition my thinking about my body? Since my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, how can I treat it as such?
- How can I shine the light of Jesus through such pain and misery, show me, Lord?
- How can I grow closer to you Lord while I walk this journey?
- How do you want me to serve you through this health journey, Lord?
- What do you want me to do with this experience that can grow your Kingdom Lord?
The questions are endless. Through the years and the trials of illness, the questions can become deeper and draw you closer to our Lord. During your illness, you have a choice. You can grow closer in your relationship with Jesus or you can grow farther apart. The choice is solely yours to make.
As we support each other in a safe loving community, we will be digging into what God has to say on the subjects we face during chronic illness and pain. When we use God’s word and take Him at His word, we can sort out our thinking so we are in alignment with God. It is so easy to let our illness control our thinking which in turn controls our actions. No matter how ill you may be, you have the ability to maintain what God says as truth.
God says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Col 3:2 NIV
Man says. “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good.”
The more we are heavenly minded the more we are inspired to do earthly good. God’s word and who he is inspires us to faithfully serve him here on earth. The more we read God’s word the more we can understand who he is. Understanding his abundant love leads us to love others, showing up in how we treat each other and how we serve others. Yes, while you have chronic illness and pain, feeling completely helpless, YOU have the ability to serve others, even if you are stuck in bed. God already has this strategy in place for you, in His Word. You will be provided an extensive list on what He tells us on the subject and my list of how to put that into practical everyday methods that you can do during chronic illness/pain.
Maribeth Baxter, MBNC is featured on Marc David’s Institute for the Psychology of Eating website.
Don’t Believe Everything You Think
